A POLICE officer who risked his life to stop a suicidal man drowning himself in Coate Water last summer has been awarded a top national life-saving honour.

At one stage the struggling man, who had waded into the lake with a rucksack full of bricks on his back, threatened PC Christopher Miller saying he “would take him with him.”

However, PC Miller fought a life and death battle up to his chest in water, and succeeded with the help of another officer, PC Jon Harwood, in dragging the man who was still struggling back to the safety of the bank of the 70 acre lake.

Now PC Miller has been awarded a Royal Humane Society testimonial on parchment, and PC Harwood is to receive one of the Society’s certificates of commendation.

The drama unfolded at nearly 10.30 pm on August 10 last year. Police were alerted after the man, who had taken a quantity of tablets, waded into the water. He ignored their shouts and after he went under the water PC Miller discarded his body armour and went in after him.

Describing what happened next Dick Wilkinson, secretary of the Royal Humane Society, said : “He waded to chest depth and grabbed the man’s rucksack straps. The man grabbed him shouting that he would take him with him and submerged again. This happened several times before PC Miller managed to get close to the edge and break the man’s grip.”

At this point, PC Harwood, who had been fighting without success to undo a throw-line which it turned out was in a pack with a faulty seal, abandoned that and went into the water to help PC Miller drag the man to safety.

As well as the awards they are to receive the two officers have also won the personal praise of Dick Wilkinson. Speaking at the Society’s London headquarters as he announced the awards he said : “Every second counted during this rescue. The man could easily have achieved his aim if PC Miller had not arrived when he did and had not battled to prevent him from going under. And of course PC Miller was in danger of being dragged under as well. The man had threatened to take him with him.

“Both officers worked as a team and thankfully managed to prevent a tragedy. Even when they got the man to the bank though he continued to be aggressive. They both richly deserve the awards they are to receive.”

No date has yet been fixed for presentation of the awards, which have been following a recommendation from Wiltshire Police but it is expected to take place in the near future.

The roots of the Royal Humane Society stretch back more than two centuries. Its president is Princess Alexandra and 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 86,000 cases and made over 200,000 awards. The Society is a registered charity which receives no public funding and is dependent on voluntary donations.