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Special Constable Kyle Scott nominated for bravery award after risking life to rescue woman from freezing Felixstowe sea




A volunteer police officer has been shortlisted for a national bravery award after risking his own life to rescue a woman from the sea in freezing conditions.

Special Constable Kyle Scott waded into ice-cold water up to his waist after spotting the woman face down in the sea at Felixstowe.

He has been nominated for a Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW) Bravery Award for saving the woman’s life.

Special Constable Kyle Scott has been shortlisted for a national bravery award. Picture: Suffolk Police Federation
Special Constable Kyle Scott has been shortlisted for a national bravery award. Picture: Suffolk Police Federation

The incident was at around 9.20pm on March 7, 2023 with temperatures at around -2C and the sea was treacherous due to windy conditions.

Kyle, who is part of the Suffolk Police Roads Policing, was on patrol in Ipswich when the call came in of a high-risk missing person.

When he got to Felixstowe, he entered the sea at high tide in his full kit and, with the help of members of the public, was able to drag the woman from the water to safety and provided her with first aid until paramedics arrived.

Felixstowe. Picture: Martyna Wiecha
Felixstowe. Picture: Martyna Wiecha

Kyle said: “It was just a natural reaction to go into the water to try to save her.

“In the role police are in, we’re there to protect others.

“You see someone in trouble, you don’t take into consideration your own safety you just go into autopilot.”

He now works in the custody suite as a civilian investigator as well as continuing with his Special Constable duties.

“I don’t think I’ll ever forget it,” Kyle said. “It gives you a big sense of pride.

“I think it’s the way the police work. We go in to work, put the uniform on and we get on with it.

“We’re there to serve and protect and that’s what we did. There’s never any hesitation.

“You go to work every day and you know that you might well have to help people out of a sticky situation.

“To know that, had I not been there at that time and acted and did what I did, it could’ve ended very differently is humbling.”

The annual National Police Bravery Awards are organised by the Police Federation of England and Wales and the ceremony will be held on Thursday, July 11 in London.