Police awarded for family rescue

PC Phillip Barrow (left) and PC Lynne Davies receive their certificate

Two police officers who saved a mother and her 18-month-old twins from drowning are being recognised for their bravery at an awards ceremony.

Pc Phillip Barrow, 37, and Pc Lynne Davies, 31, both from Swansea, were nominated for the award by colleagues.

They were called to the Loughor Estuary in March after flash flooding trapped the family in their car.

The officers collected their awards at an event at London's Café Royal on Wednesday.

Amanda Bennett was trying to negotiate a partially flooded road next to the Loughor Estuary in Swansea earlier this year when her car cut out .

Her young twins, Grace and Rosanna, were in the back seat and due to an unusually high tide and gale force winds, water got in through the windows of her car.

'Above waistline'

Pc Barrow managed to manoeuvre one twin through a partially open window and Pc Davies rescued the other.

Pc Barrow said: "I could see a lady stood on top of the car screaming.

"She saw me and said her children were stuck in the back of the car. Without any thought I run into the water.

"I looked into the car and there were two young twins strapped into the back with water above their waistline.

"I got mum down from the top of the car so she was holding on to me while I reached in to get one of the babies out."

Pc Davies added: "Most of time you can go through the flooding but on this particular day it rose so quickly, it was unbelievable.

"Literally seconds, we had, to save them.

"Afterwards you go through the 'what ifs' and we could have had two fatalities."

'Credit to service'

The pair received their awards in the annual Vodafone Life Savers Awards.

They are designed to honour unsung heroes - both in the emergency services as well as ordinary members of the public.

The woman who was rescued, Amanda Bennett, from Gowerton, said the police officers deserved their awards.

She said: "They didn't think about themselves at all - they came straight into the water after us.

"I haven't found words enough - thank you just doesn't seem enough."

South Wales Police divisional commander for Swansea, Mel Jehu, added :"We are absolutely delighted that both officers have been recognised in this way and we all wish them well for the event - their actions are a credit to the service."

Nick Read, Vodafone UK Chief Executive Officer, said: "Without the brave efforts of Pcs Barrow and Davies that day, the outcome would most certainly have been one of tragedy."

On Thursday, both Pc Barrow and Pc Davies went to a reception at Downing Street, hosted by Prime Minister Tony Blair ahead of their award presentation.

A four-man crew from RAF Valley's 'C' Flight 22 Squadron, who saved the life of five yachtsmen after their boat became stranded in the Irish Sea also received National Life Savers awards.

Flight Lieutenants Dave Kenyon, 36, Duncan Tough, 28, and Dave Spain, 51 and Sergeant Andy Elwood, 36, were nominated by colleagues at the Anglesey base.