Schoolboy’s Harrowing Fall Saved by Off-Duty Cops
Relieved parents Kealie Bulmer and Kevin Austin dropped by Millbank Police Station to thank two officers who saved their son’s life after a freak bike accident left him with a fractured skull.
Off-Duty Heroes Spot Dramatic Fall in Park
Eleven-year-old Kyle ploughed through a hedge and tumbled 8ft into a pond in Sunderland’s Barnes Park. Student PC Ami Matthews and Inspector Simon Wotton, both off-duty and strangers until that day, sprung into action.
Ami, a newbie who joined the force in March, had just completed a first aid course weeks earlier. Together with Simon, she helped carry drenched Kyle to safety. The boy suffered a fractured skull, broken collarbone, wrist, and a swollen shut eye—yet he’s now on the mend.
Grateful Family Say Thanks in Person
“Kyle was in a right state – his eye totally closed and swollen. It would have been so much worse without Ami and Simon,” said Kealie, 40.
She added, “Simon did the heavy lifting while Ami kept Kyle calm and managed the growing crowd. When we got the call, our hearts sank. Thankfully, Kyle is slowly improving. As a family, we wanted to say a proper thank you for their care and compassion.”
Rising Star and Veteran Get Commander’s Praise
Ami, just six weeks into her policing course at the time, said: “I wanted to join the police because I can’t turn a blind eye to anything. I didn’t expect to face this so early in my career!”
Both Ami and Simon received Commander’s Compliments from Chief Superintendent Sarah Pitt for their quick thinking and bravery.
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