A 26-year-old police officer was hailed as a hero yesterday after he risked his life to rescue an 18-year-old woman who had fallen into the River Foyle in Derry.
Constable Darren Patterson's patrol responded to a 999 emergency call which said that the woman had fallen into the river from the top deck of the city's Craigavon Bridge.
The police officer, who is based at Shantallow RUC station in Derry, said he did not think of his own safety during the rescue operation. "We realised that time was against us so we just went for it. It was a team effort and my colleagues did a great job lowering me down. The water was bitterly cold but I didn't mind as long as we got the young girl.".