Minister supports pond officers

Jordon was pulled from the water but could not be resuscitated

A government minister has attacked criticism of two community support officers (CSOs) who were accused of not doing enough to help a drowning boy.

Jordon Lyon, 10, had already slipped from view when the CSOs arrived at the John Pit pond in Wigan in May.

On Saturday, former Home Secretary David Blunkett said it should have been "human instinct" to dive in.

But Police Minister Tony McNulty backed the CSOs, whom he said had to make a "finely balanced" judgement.

An inquest heard that Jordon leapt into the water of the old colliery pond after his eight-year-old stepsister Bethany got into difficulties.

Two anglers waded in and pulled Bethany to safety using their rods but Jordon became submerged and disappeared.

It is finely balanced, it wasn't as clear cut as people were trying to point out Tony McNulty

The alarm was raised and the CSOs arrived. Police said they could see no sign of Jordon in the water, so they radioed for help and directed the emergency services to the location.

"There is a fine line between bravery and recklessness," Mr McNulty told Sky News's Sunday Live programme.

"They really did have to make a judgment on all balance of probability - going straight in with no notion of location, no notion of where he was last seen, as against trying to get further help there at the earliest opportunity.

"It is finely balanced, it wasn't as clear cut as people were trying to point out.

"The notion that came up that if you see such a young child floundering and drowning your human instinct is to try to go in and save them, well of, course that is the case.

"The edge yesterday that somehow this was to do with PCSOs replacing policemen I think was fundamentally wrong and a bit irresponsible."

Award call

David Blunkett - who introduced CSOs - said that "as human beings" they should have gone into the water to try to find the 10-year-old.

He also told BBC Radio 4 that Jordon's courage in rescuing his stepsister should be recognised with a posthumous award.

His comments came after Jordon's distraught mother, Tracy, said the CSOs should have "automatically" gone into the water to save a drowning child.

Greater Manchester Police say the CSOs, who directed other crews to the location, were untrained in rescues and had "acted correctly".