“But the member of the public who was also helped out of the water came forward the following week to say thank you.”Ĭhris, who has been a police officer for seven years and lives in Longwell Green, says he didn’t feel scared about jumping in – and that he acted out of a sense of duty. “But he’s ok, he’s back out in the community.” “I have seen him since, although he didn’t recognise me,” said Chris. But really, the situation wasn’t over until I got back in the car.”Īfter the event, the man was taken to hospital by ambulance where he made a full recovery. “Because it was me that had actually got in the water and saved him I was able to establish a rapport with them and calm things down. “So I stepped in and said: “Please just let us do our jobs.” “I was stood there, drenched to the skin, and I could see the crowd were becoming volatile towards my colleagues,” he said. Having staggered out of the water, Chris quickly stepped in to calm the situation. For his own safety, he was placed in handcuffs.īut the watching crowd misinterpreted the scenario, and began to turn on the police. Now ashore, the man became agitated once more and started trying to break free from the waiting officers who were attempting to restrain him. The other member of the public, who was still in the river, also needed to be helped out before Chris was finally able to get out of the cold water. “When we got to the side, he was completely exhausted but we managed to hoist him out with a shopping trolley, while my colleagues chucked me a throw rope so I could support myself.” “He was rapidly losing energy, so I had to help him back,” said Chris. The man visibly calmed down, and agreed to swim back to the side. “Saying that seemed to strike a chord with him – that realisation that his actions were going to affect others.” But I really don’t want to do that, because I want to go home to my son tonight,” Chris explained. “I said to him: “If you go under then I’m going under with you. “I encouraged him to swim back to the side with him, but he refused,” said Chris. But he was extremely agitated, and shouting at him to get away. Swimming over to man, Chris could see that he was tired and ready to give up. “I had contingency plans in my mind depending on how the situation unfolded, but I’m a strong swimmer and confident in water.” “One – what I might hit when I dived in and two – what sort of state was the man in, and was I likely to be dragged under. “Two things went through my mind at the time,” he continued. “I said to my colleagues: “Let them know I’m going in,” said Chris. The young dad knew he had to act fast in order to save lives. But it was proving difficult – the man was determined to break free of their grasp, and back up was urgently required.īy the time PC Arthur, 29, arrived on the scene, the man was already in the water having fallen ten metres from the bridge.Ī large crowd had gathered, and a courageous member of the public had jumped in after him in an attempt to save him – but he had underestimated how difficult this would be, and was now clinging to a life ring by the side of the river. It was 10.45pm during a busy shift in Bristol City Centre when PC Chris Arthur received the emergency radio call.Ī man was dangling over the side of the Bristol Bridge, with police officers already on the scene trying to restrain him.
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