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Police volunteer saves man's life on first day

Sam Read,in Warmingtonand
Alex Pope
Sam Read/BBC Sophie Hyde, standing in a field, smiling and looking straight at the camera. She has long blonde hair tied back, and is wearing a black police uniform. Sam Read/BBC
Sophie Hyde's day job is working in a staff role at Northamptonshire Police

A volunteer police officer who helped save a man's life on the first day in her role as a special constable said her "fight-or-flight" instinct just kicked in.

Sophie Hyde, along with Northamptonshire Police special constables Lorna Montecalvo and Pete Isom, were called to Warmington, at 19:40 BST on 30 July to concerns for the welfare of a man.

Hyde spotted him in the River Nene, close to Cambridgeshire, then held a torch out for Montecalvo who swam out to the unconscious man and then towed him to the bank.

Hyde said: "You don't do it to be a hero, you do it to help people and save lives."

Sam Read/BBC Three volunteer police officers, standing in a row, with their arms folded in front of them. They are all wearing black trousers, and a black police jacket. Pete, on the right, has a bald head, glasses on and a short beard. Lorna, in the middle, has long blonde hair tied back and Sophie, left, has her hair in a centre parting, tied back. They are all looking at the camera. They are by water with trees behind them and grasses close to them. Sam Read/BBC
Special Constables Sophie Hyde, Lorna Montecalvo and Pete Isom, were all praised for saving the man's life

Northamptonshire Police said the officers, along with colleagues from Northampton Search & Rescue, and the National Police Air Service, found the man, in the water, opposite Elton Quarry at about 23:20 BST after his rucksack was found next to the river by a member of the public.

The trio worked with the member of the public to get the man out of the water and to safety.

Montecalvo said: "The only thing that was going through my head was, 'I've got to get in, I've got to get there quick and I've got to swim out'.

"My survival mode kicked in."

She said it was pitch black and very deep.

"I was determined, my three children popped into my head and I thought, I've got to get back for them."

She said she then saw Isom.

"I just reached up and he got me and pulled me the last few feet in because I was on my last breath - I was absolutely exhausted."

Isom, who cannot swim, said he overcame his fear and went in.

"I was holding onto the reeds pretty much the entire time so that I still had contact with the bank and I reached out and just grabbed her."

Sam Read/BBC A river bank, with water in it, with reeds and bushes by both sides. There are also trees on the other side of the bank. There is a gap in the reeds, by some algae.Sam Read/BBC
The officers were called to the River Nene, in Warmington, Northamptonshire, on 30 July

Hyde said: "I think training can only do so much and when you're faced with the situation your fight-or-flight kicks in.

"You don't do it to be a hero, you do it to help people and save lives."

Montecalvo said she was thankful her colleagues were with her and she is also pleased that the man they saved was OK.

Isom said: "I don't consider myself a hero at all.

"If we were not in police uniform, we'd have still done the same thing."

Chief Constable Ivan Balhatchet said: "They represent the very best of policing, they saved this man's life, and we are extremely lucky to have them at Northamptonshire Police."

He also thanked the member of the public who helped them.

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