Top honours for five Wolverhampton police officers who fought 'life and death battle' in canal rescue

The horror incident happened on the morning of September 29 last year.

The five officers had rushed to the scene after reports that a distressed man was in the canal behind Albion Street and was drowning.

The man was floating on the water and not moving by the time the police arrived.

Insp Barnes, PC Numan and another officer who cannot be named jumped into the 10 metre wide canal, swam to the man, and then hauled him back to dry land.

He was completely unresponsive and the officers immediately began administering cardiac pulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

Paramedics arrived at the scene, and, ultimately a pulse was re-established.

However, the man died in hospital five days later.

All five of the officers involved are to receive Royal Humane Society Resuscitation Certificates for bringing the man back to life immediately after the incident and three of them who went into the canal to get him out are also to receive Testimonials on Parchment from the Society.

The officers to receive Testimonials are Insp Matthew Barnes, PC Aaron Numan and another officer who cannot be named.

They will also receive Resuscitation Certificates along with the other two officers involved, PS Adam Davenport and PS Lindsey Ward.

In addition to the awards, the officers have been personally praised by Andrew Chapman, secretary of the Royal Humane Society.

He said: “Although the man died several days after the incident the police deserve nothing but praise for their action.

“Without doubt their efforts in getting him out of the canal and then administering CPR gave him the best possible chance of survival.

"Sadly, even though his pulse was re-started he died in the end, but the police officers did all they could. They richly deserve the awards they are to receive.”

The roots of the Royal Humane Society stretch back nearly 250 years, and, other than awards made by the Crown, it is the premier national body for honouring bravery in the saving of human life.

It was founded in 1774 by two of the day's eminent medical men, William Hawes and Thomas Cogan. Their primary motive was to promote techniques of resuscitation.

However, as it emerged that numerous people were prepared to put their own lives at risk to save others, the awards scheme evolved, and today a variety of awards are made depending on the bravery involved.

The society also awards non health care professionals who perform a successful resuscitation.

Since it was set up the society has considered over 90,000 cases and made over 220,000 awards.

The society is a registered charity which receives no public funding and is dependent on voluntary donations.