COASTGUARD RESCUE OFFICERS ARE ‘PRIDE OF BRITAIN’

The Hartlepool Coastguard Rescue Team and Her Majesty's Coastguard as a whole is celebrating, after receiving a Pride of Britain award.

Coastguard Rescue Officers Colin Lodge and Chris Hornsey, alongside members of the RNLI, received the Daybreak Emergency Services Award last night. It’s for their efforts on 30 September 2011, when Humber Coastguard coordinated a rescue mission to save 17-year-old Neil Robson, who’d become stuck in the sand off Seaton Carew.

The Hartlepool Coastguard Rescue Team, led by Officer in Charge (OIC), Billy Spurs, was first to arrive on scene following a 999 call. Chris and Colin made their way into the water and were quickly joined by the lifeboat crew. It became apparent that scraping and digging the sand under the weight of the water was impossible and the OIC requested the assistance of the Fire and Rescue Service which supplied a high power hose to blast the sand. Neil was freed with his head just above the water and the tide still rising.

Chris said: "I am honoured to have picked up this award on behalf of the whole team who all wanted to take the actions I took to get Neil out of the water as safely and as quickly as possible. This rescue was an excellent example of teams working together.”

Colin said: "This was a real team effort, so I am proud to receive this award on behalf of all the rescue teams involved in saving Neil’s life.”

The award ceremony was held at the Grosvenor House Hotel last night where guests included HRH the Prince of Wales, Prime Minister David Cameron, Sir Michael Caine and Stephen Fry.

The award was presented by members of the Downton Abbey cast, including Elizabeth McGovern and Hugh Bonneville.

The Pride of Britain Awards is being shown on ITV1 tonight, 30 October, at 8pm.

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