Top bravery award for harbour heroine who saved three lives

A WOMAN who helped rescue two children and a fisherman swept into the sea at a Scottish harbour is to receive a national bravery award.

Jacqueline Walker, 39, will be awarded a Testimonial on Parchment by the Royal Humane Society after the dramatic rescue in the Moray Firth.

Announcing the award yesterday at the Royal Humane Society's London headquarters, secretary Dick Wilkinson

said that Ms Walker was on the beach at Hopeman Harbour, near Elgin, with her family when she saw a fisherman trying to free a lifebelt.

"Ms Walker, who was wearing a wetsuit, went to investigate and saw a fully clothed child in the water who had fallen from the harbour wall.

"He was winded and shocked. Two other children had gone to help and were also in difficulty, while a fisherman was also swimming out to help."

Because the tide, all of the individuals had drifted almost 100ft away from the wall, in water estimated to be 30ft deep.

"Ms Walker went into the water with the lifebelt tied to her waist, risking her own safety as the waves crashed against the rocks around her," he added. "She spotted one of the boys swimming back to the harbour and told him to keep going."

Ms Walker then swam out to the other three and instructed them to hold on to the lifebelt and to keep kicking as she towed them towards the harbour.

It was at this point two boats arrived and, with the help of Aberdeen coastguard, the four were plucked from the water.

Mr Wilkinson praised the rescuer for her heroism.

"Ms Walker played a key role in saving three lives," he said. "She showed tremendous courage, and put herself at risk without hesitation. She thoroughly deserves this award."

No date has yet been fixed for presentation of the award.

Speaking shortly after the incident on 27 July last year, Ms Walker said that she had only acted because she knew she was a strong swimmer.

"If I hadn't been confident that I knew the right thing to do, I wouldn't have gone into the water," she said.

"It is so important in situations like this that you don't make things worse and end up having to be rescued yourself.

"You often hear that it is two bodies which have been pulled from the water when someone goes in to help but ends up in trouble themselves."

Earlier this week, the society announced farmer Andrew Rennie is to receive a bravery award for the dramatic rescue of a female motorist trapped in a raging torrent during the November floods after the River Deveron in Aberdeenshire burst its banks.