A woman who was rescued by an officer after attempting to take her own life 20 years ago returned to Durham at the weekend to thank him.

In May 2005, PC Neville Waller and his colleagues responded to concerns for the welfare of a 19-year-old woman in Durham City.

When he arrived, PC Waller ran towards the woman and found her shaking, on her knees praying.

His courage in helping rescue the woman, named Nicola, earned him an official bravery commendation - at the time he had only served in the force for two years.(Image: Durham Police)

He said: "She was crying and looked very distressed. I tried to talk to her, but she looked at me only once. When she turned away, I made my move to attempt to pull her from danger, my colleagues dashed forward to help.

PC Waller added: “Together we managed to pull her back to safety.”

Twenty years on and Nicola, who is now 39, felt it was the right time to show her appreciation to PC Waller who she said, “saved her life.”

The pair met up in Durham City on Saturday afternoon (July 13).

Nicola said: “What sticks in my mind most from the incident was how kind and respectful the police officers were.

“I’ve gone on to teach in Africa and the Middle East and I now live in Kendal and work for Cancer Research. None of this would have been possible if it was not for those officers on that day who were there for me when I needed them the most.”

Nicola came back to Durham with support from a good family friend as she felt it was the right time to put some of the demons from her past to bed.

Most read: 

Get more from The Northern Echo with a digital subscription. Get access for 4 months for just £4, or get 40% off an annual subscription with our latest offer. Click here.

PC Waller who is now the Neighbourhood Sergeant at Stanley said: “This is an amazing story and I hope it reaches others who may be in crisis or struggling with their mental health that there is always hope. Who knows what you can achieve with your life if you find the courage to speak to someone.”

If you need help with your mental health, these organisations are here to support you:

  • Samaritans: 116 123
  • SANEline: 0300 304 7000
  • National Suicide Prevention Helpline UK: 0800 689 5652
  • Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM): 0800 58 58 58
  • SHOUT: If you would prefer not to talk but want some mental health support, you could text SHOUT to 85258
  • The Mix. If you're under 25, you can call The Mix on 0808 808 4994