A Cambridgeshire special constable was awarded last night for her work to save the life of a grandfather who had collapsed during a running race.
Selcan “Selly” Rowles was presented with the Royal Human Society Resuscitation Certificate at last night’s (November 9) chief constable’s long service and commendations ceremony.
Selly, 33, was running in a five-mile road race in Wellingborough last July when, after roughly one mile, she noticed a disturbance up ahead and some runners shouting for a marshal.
She realised 67-year-old Tom Sullivan, of Northampton, was in a ditch collapsed. She stopped and checked his pulse but could not find one.
Selly, who has been a Special for five years, and three other competitors assessed him and started CPR and continued for about 30 minutes before ambulance and then air ambulance arrived.
Speaking last night Tom, who attended the ceremony with wife Mary, said: “It’s very, very emotional and obviously it’s lovely to be able to say thank-you for saving my life.
“Selly said to me, ‘you spoke a few times when we were doing to CPR’, but I’d got no memory of that and really the only way for me to recognise her today was the picture in the paper just after the incident.
“I said, ‘Selly I can’t thank you enough for saving my life. I’ve seen my second granddaughter but I wouldn’t have seen her if you hadn’t have stopped’.
“At the hospital they said it was the quality of the CPR that saved me and made sure my memory was virtually intact. She fully deserves this award but to me nothing is really enough for what she did for me.”
Selly said: “I didn’t know he was going to be here tonight so it was a big surprise and very emotional. It’s brought back a lot of memories. I said, ‘I’m not going to cry, I’m only receiving a certificate, I’m honoured’, but then they said Tom is here and I felt the tears coming.
“I’m very proud to have been able to put into practice what I learnt and it worked, most importantly. And as people have told me, many people would not have stopped in a race because it’s so competitive but I’m happy that I found the values in myself to stop and it’s made a difference. Tom tells me he’s just had a granddaughter that he wouldn’t have seen and I still get goose pimples just talking about it.”
Selly said she now plans to run the same race again in Wellingborough with Tom and Mary.
Selly’s story was just one of many heard by attendees at the ceremony. Others featured bravery, life-saving actions, safeguarding and dangerous people being brought before the courts.
PCSO Sallie Lunness received a chief constable’s commendation for preventing a potentially serious collision, by stopping a man from driving the wrong way along a parkway. Sallie ran alongside the man, after he ignored her pleas to stop driving, eventually leaning in through an open window and grabbing the keys from the ignitionThe bi-annual ceremony recognises and rewards the work, commitment and bravery of police officers, staff and members of the public.
PC Leigh Norman also received a chief constable’s commendation for courage and bravery. Earlier this year Leigh was part of a team of officers searching for a vulnerable young girl.
Leigh found the girl, in an extremely distressed and a risk to herself, and she was taken to hospital. That same day a second call came in about a vulnerable woman on walking along a train track.
PC Norman could hear a train coming so, with no thought for himself, went onto the tracks and grab the woman clear of the line as the train thundered by.
The bi-annual ceremony recognises and rewards the work, commitment and bravery of police officers, staff and members of the public.
Chief constable Alec Wood, who presented awards in front of an audience of friends and family, said: “Last night we presented long service awards to our officers, staff and volunteers for their loyal and dedicated commitment to the force, alongside commendations in recognition of remarkable and selfless acts and those who have worked in adverse conditions. They all deserve the recognition they received.
“My personal thanks and congratulations go to each and every one of them.”
Police and Crime Commissioner Jason Ablewhite added: “I am always humbled by the amazing stories that highlight the professionalism and commitment from officers, staff and volunteers involved in our policing family.
“On behalf of the people of Cambridgeshire I would like to thank all officers and police staff for the exceptional work they do in keeping our county safe.”
Those awarded were:
Police Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
PC Arnold Black
Supt Martin Brunning
DCI Adam Gallop
Sgt Liz Groom
DI Susie Hine
ACC Simon Megicks
Sgt Mags Roberts
DS Jacqueline Shersby
DC Anthony Thorpe
DC Clementina Yaxley
PC Adrian Anderson
PC Carolyn Chambers
DC Lisa Correll
DC Anthony Harlow
DI Geoff Knight
PC Vince Smith
PC Charlie McCabe
Police staff Long Service award
Alison Cassey
Tara Langwade
Debbie Jayne Ruddle
Kirstie Turpin
Lorraine Ballard
Kerry Edwards
Jessica Ives
Abi Shafi
Special Constabulary and volunteers Long Service award
SC Mark King
SC Huw Parry-Jones
SC Kevin Morris
PSV Stefan Gidlow
PSV Philip Sindall
PSV Emmy Skinner
Rev Dorothy Peyton-Jones
Commendations
PC Leigh Norman
Chief Insp Julia Hands
Chief Supt Chris Mead
PCSO Sallie Lunness
Sarah Newson (Criminal Justice Unit)
Jeanne Watson (Criminal Justice Unit)
DC George Neal
DC Nicky Boxall
PC Matthew Holt
PC Jack Henderson
PC Steve Surtees
Crime Scene Manager Amanda Lancaster
SOCO Claire Galpin
SOCO David Barron
SOCO Jonathan Dane
SOCO Tania Butler
DS Garry Webb
PS Chris Bockham
Caroline Clark (from the Ambulance Service)
Paramedic Andrew Lovelock
Royal Human Society Resuscitation Certificate
SC Selcan Rowles
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