Cops called Haddouch and Bale wade in to pull drowning man from pond on Wandsworth Common

Two police officers were left with no alternative but to jump into a duck pond to save a drowning man – with one of them, PC Amy Bale, staying with him in hospital for three hours afterwards in her wet uniform.

The two Met police officers have been praised after pulling the man out of the water on Wandsworth Common.

PC Bale and her colleague PC Red Haddouch, both based on South West command unit, were called to reports of a man unresponsive in the pond on Thursday, 16 July.

When they arrived on scene, the man was floating in the middle of the pond and failed to respond to their calls.

While other emergency services were en route, the officers felt they had no option but to go into the water and pull him out.

“He was gradually starting to go under and I was very worried that if that happened, we wouldn’t be able to find him again,” said PC Bale.

“At that stage, PC Haddouch and I just looked at each other and it was an automatic decision to get in ourselves and help him out.

“Luckily the water wasn’t deep and we managed to just wade across to him and pull him out onto the side where we put him in the recovery position.

“In a situation like that, where you know someone’s life looks to be in danger, it’s human instinct more than anything. You just do what you have to do.”

PC Bale then managed to build up a good rapport with the man and accompanied him to hospital, spending the next three hours in her wet uniform. She then headed back to the station, had a shower, and went back out on patrol.

“I definitely slept well that night – it was a long day!” said PC Bale, who joined the Met in 2019. “But this is the reason I wanted to join the police and why I love it, because no two days are ever the same.”

Sergeant James O’Connor said: “PC Bale and PC Haddouch had just minutes to make a decision on the best course of action and their speed and bravery meant the incident had a positive outcome.

“This is a great example of our officers selflessly putting the public first and while they have played it down as just another day at work, I am exceptionally proud of them and their actions.”