'Baywatch' bobby and friend receive awards for saving woman and daughter from drowning
A police officer branded the 'Baywatch' bobby and his heroic friend who saved a woman and her 11-year-old daughter from drowning have received top awards for their brave actions.
The efforts of PC Adam Beckett from Sandwell, and his friend Liam Dawes, aged 32, from the Yew Tree estate, averted tragedy, police chiefs have said.
The pair were presented with Royal Human Society and Chief Constable awards at a ceremony in Tally Ho, Birmingham, earlier this month.
They were spending a day down at Barmouth Beach when PC Beckett spotted a dinghy well away from the shore capsize, casting the woman, in her 30s, and her daughter into the sea.
He and Mr Dawes swam out against the tide and were out of their depth when they reached the woman who was face down in the water while the girl was shouting that her mother could not swim.
Mr Dawes grabbed the girl while PC Beckett took hold of the woman who was sinking because of her clothes.
Realising she was unconscious he gave her the kiss of life while treading water.
The heroic duo then hauled the two females some 150 yards back to the beach.
When they got there PC Beckett placed the woman in the recovery position and kept her warm with blankets from his own personal first aid kit.
They were quickly met by RNLI staff, an ambulance and air ambulance crews who had been called by members of the public.
The woman went on make a full recovery.
Superintendent Richard Youds, from Sandwell police station, said: “Adam and Liam saved the woman’s life that day and had it not been for their awareness that something was not right and their selflessness in going into the water, the situation could have ended in tragedy."
