Episode 17 Real Rescues


Episode 17

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Today on Real Rescues, a major incident as a petrol tanker crashes into a bungalow.

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It was actually on fire.

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Somebody was running down the road shouting, "Evacuate, evacuate."

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And 40 feet in the air,

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a cat's terror at the top of a tree too thin for rescuers to climb,

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so it is going to need some gymnastics to get it down.

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Hello and welcome to Real Rescues.

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We are in the police headquarters in Lewes.

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It is not just the police we will be seeing in action today.

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We are celebrating the work of all our emergency services.

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This first rescue involves three of them - police, fire and ambulance.

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Now, any accident involving fuel tankers

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is potentially life-threatening.

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The one we are about to see is doubly dangerous.

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An HGV has crashed into a property very close to a primary school.

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And it doesn't appear to be accidental.

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It is Friday morning.

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Ambulance crew John Leatherbarrow and Jason Papworth

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are on their way to an emergency near Wareham in Dorset.

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Details are sketchy but alarming.

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We have been called to a lorry into a house over in Wareham.

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At the moment, we are not too sure of the details fully

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but we are racking up fire and police and everything like that.

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So at the moment, we are unsure what we are going to,

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all we have got is a lorry into a house.

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1-5, just wondering if you have any further information

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on the incident, over?

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With so many emergency service units going to this incident,

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there is a lot of radio chatter and more details are filtering through.

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A fuel tanker has apparently been deliberately driven into a bungalow.

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Up above, a police helicopter scours the landscape for the driver

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who has fled the scene.

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And it is a chaotic scene.

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A host of emergency vehicles litter this quiet, residential street,

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while evacuated residents stand shocked at the edge of a cordon.

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Firefighters have already put out the fire that was raging in this bungalow.

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Ambulance scene officer Paul Miner

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briefs fellow medics on what has happened.

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The driver of the tanker, right, has actually attempted

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to drive it into the bungalow, a domestic.

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It was actually on fire, the bungalow was.

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And then the wife, hysterical, and he's done a runner.

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Someone's driven the lorry backwards, luckily,

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which has saved quite a major incident.

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You can see the position of the lorry now

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and if that had gone up, it would have caused a major incident.

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So no other casualties at the moment?

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No, we've only got one, hysterical lady who is being treated by an ECP.

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Two doors down, Mike was alerted to the situation by another neighbour, frantically knocking.

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I went out and could see the tanker,

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or the back of the tanker,

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with smoke coming out of the tanker and the house.

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I said to them that we really need to get away from that,

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that could be potentially quite dangerous.

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Somebody else was running down the road,

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shouting, "Evacuate, evacuate," which stirred some more people.

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As I was coming up the road,

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the tanker actually backed out of the drive again.

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I don't know,

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but I think it must have been the guy that drove it in there

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because at that point, I'm certain that the services hadn't arrived.

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But it wasn't the driver. Instead, a local man was passing by

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after dropping his daughter off at school.

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Fearing catastrophe, he jumped into the burning cab of this tanker,

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full of kerosene, and reversed it away from the house on fire.

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He then used the extinguishers on the lorry to put out

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the flames as best he could.

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Had it have stayed where it was, the fire was well developed

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in the hall, it would have taken the tanker with it,

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the cab, which could have spread to the fuel oil tank at the back.

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Although it's not highly flammable, it will burn

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and once it gets hot enough, it'll burn readily.

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The guy, to me, he's a hero.

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He had the sense to actually reverse a lorry backwards full of diesel.

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If he hadn't, the front of the property has actually caught fire,

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even though it is quite minor, if that had gone up with the lorry,

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then we could have had many, many casualties.

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Emergency Care Practitioner, Jay Mercer, has been treating the woman

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who was inside the bungalow at the time the lorry smashed into it.

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She is obviously hysterical, and very, very anxious,

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obviously had a lorry plough through the front of her house.

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She has actually come out of the back of the house and actually fled

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over the fences and knocked up a neighbour and everything.

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But we have checked her over, no injuries that I can see

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that are apparent, there is no acute illness there.

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And just very shaken, really.

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Whether or not the tanker driver has any injuries is unknown

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as he is on the run and hasn't stayed around

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to see the havoc he has brought to this peaceful neighbourhood.

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So the plot thickens.

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To shed a light on the story now

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is off duty Special Constable Trevor Knott.

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Trevor, you had just dropped your little girl off to school,

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and this incident happened, what 20, 30 yards away?

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What was the sight?

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You were the first person on the scene, what was it like?

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So, looking down the road

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there was a small petrol tanker wedged in the front of a bungalow,

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with the rear wheels still spinning digging a hole in the front lawn.

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Me and my dog went and approached the tanker,

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had a look in the driver's side.

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There was no driver obvious. I couldn't really have a look.

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So I walked round the other side.

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Noticed that there were three fires set underneath the tanker.

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Looked in the passenger side, there was no-one present in the tanker.

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Looked into the house, saw some movement in the house,

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then saw the flames and got covered in thick, black smoke.

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-So you got a little bit suspicious straightaway?

-Yes.

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-So, looking at the situation as it was...

-It wasn't an accident?

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-It wasn't an accident from what I could see.

-What did you do next?

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You went round the back?

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So I went round the back of the truck,

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had a look inside the truck, no-one in there, making sure,

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just to make sure it was not an accident.

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Noticed the fires that were set underneath,

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then got covered in a cloud of thick, black smoke so I backed off

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to the other side of the road and that point, after phoning 999,

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for a chase up for the fire brigade etc,

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noticed a man come over the fence.

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At that point I challenged him. I just went, "Oi!"

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-As you do.

-As you do. At which point, he ran.

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So you're saying, right, this is a criminal here, so you chase him.

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-You chase him for how far?

-About 150 yards out on to the main road.

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He slipped over in front of a car.

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I jumped on him, grabbed hold of him,

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dragged him off onto the pavement,

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at which point we had a fight, for want of a better word.

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He assaulted me and managed to break free and made for the railway lines.

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And you thought, I am not going to chase him on the railway lines

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but he was caught up by colleagues of yours, was he?

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Yes, eventually. As soon as he broke free, he made for the railway lines.

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The regular officers were just turning up on the scene

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and saw him clear the other side of the railway line, at which point

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then, everything else kicked in, the helicopter and dog unit, etc,

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to apprehend him and he was caught about an hour and a half later.

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My goodness.

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OK, you wouldn't advise people to chase, call the police, right?

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Definitely. If they are presented with that situation,

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get a full description of anyone they think may be an offender

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and call it in, 999.

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OK, thank you, thank you very much indeed for your efforts.

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Thankfully, everyone was safe and sound. I should tell you,

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the driver of the tanker was sentenced to seven years in prison

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for arson, endangering life,

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dangerous driving and other charges.

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Treetop rescues require very particular skills.

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We are about to see a tree surgeon swing into action on a poplar

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that appears to be bending almost to breaking point.

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It is early October in north Hampshire.

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-Hello, have you got a cat up a tree?

-I have, yes.

-Can you show me?

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I can indeed. Do you want to come in for a second?

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Through the back or the front?

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You can come in here, no problems. Thank God you're here.

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Animal rescue specialist Buster Brown is being shown

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to a copse behind a row of houses.

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40 feet up a poplar tree is Blossom.

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This 16 month-old cat has been up here for two nights,

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clinging on to this spindly tree as it's buffeted by strong winds.

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The Fire Brigade and the RSPCA, we work together

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and are in agreement, that if a cat goes up a tree,

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we will leave it there for usually 24 to 48 hours,

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depending on its age and whether it is injured.

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But Blossom isn't showing any signs of coming down by herself

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and she is very vocal.

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Her loud mewing has attracted the attention of several wannabe rescuers.

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The owner actually put a ladder up to see if he could climb the tree.

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He had left it but he was aware that children

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and other members of the public had also tried to climb the tree,

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therefore it became a public hazard.

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People were putting themselves at risk to rescue the cat.

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Buster has to weigh up the risks involved in a rescue attempt.

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Blossom is a long way up. The trunk is narrow and the branches thin.

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It was apparent that we weren't able to put our ladder onto the tree,

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for the tree to withstand the ladder's weight.

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It was not a safe tree for the firemen to climb.

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We are not equipped to climb trees. We climb ladders.

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People who are equipped to climb trees are tree surgeons

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so we naturally decided to call one of those out.

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Local tree expert Charlie Renshaw and his assistant, John,

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arrive to see if a rescue is possible.

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I saw this cat and it seemed a bit windy.

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I thought, I could see the fireman with their ladders

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and I thought there was no way they were going to reach it with that.

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And just thought I'd have a look about

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and see what trees were there to work from.

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Charlie takes up the challenge.

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Using ropes, he starts by climbing an adjacent, stronger tree.

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He is briefed by Buster about how the cat might react.

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The problem is, the cat is terrified when you grab hold of it

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and it is likely to strike out at you.

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In that action of it biting you or scratching you,

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you might lose grip of the tree yourself.

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It is not a friendly cat sitting by the rug,

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it is a terrified cat at the top of a tree.

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Charlie quickly reaches a suitable height,

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but he needs extra equipment to go further.

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Normally, what would you do is take your rope high

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and you would come down a bit and you try

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and swing yourself over to the thinner tree. But the trouble was,

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there's a lot of whip to the tree because it was so tall and skinny,

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and the chances are you may very well have knocked the cat out.

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So then I asked for the poles which then I could pull the tree

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to me slightly which would take a lot of the spring out

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and then with my weight on the rope, I was able to pull myself

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across to the other tree without it making too much sudden movement.

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What he does next seems to defy gravity,

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leaving his audience open mouthed.

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With extraordinary gymnastic skill, Charlie has somehow managed

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to shimmy along the pole as one end of it dangles freely in mid-air

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Now, Charlie has to reach Blossom up an ever narrowing trunk.

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The chances are the top could have snapped out but if you try

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and keep your weight distributed central, it is not too bad.

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It is a critical moment.

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If Blossom panics, she could scramble away, ever higher.

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Really, there's one chance of getting the cat down

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and it started to try and go up a bit

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but I managed to get my hand on top, just to hold its position.

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Charlie's balance is so good,

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he can use both hands to put the cat in the bag.

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I was able to put it in the bag backwards,

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because we have tried it in the past where you try and put

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the cat in forwards and out come the claws and you don't stand a chance!

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With Charlie's swift descent, Blossom's hairy ordeal is over.

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Well done, Charlie, super job.

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And it turns out, Charlie knows all about cats, as well as trees.

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Yeah, I like cats, I've got seven of my own and two dogs.

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I haven't got no big trees in the garden!

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All right, Blossom, good girl.

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Nice one, fella, that was good, neatly done.

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Charlie has successfully pulled off

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what seemed like an impossible rescue.

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Once you've done it, it gives you, it's something different

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and it's all got a lot of meaning.

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I'm happy that, you know, it went all right and the cat's fine

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and back with its owners. And they were very grateful.

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At the end of the day, that's all that you want anyway.

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It's a hard life, isn't it?

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Well, thanks to Charlie's strength and gymnastics, Blossom is safe.

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It was amazing watching that, Buster.

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From down below, did it look like he sort of levitated?

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It was quite incredible. I have not seen anybody do that

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and it was like watching somebody in the circus, it was fascinating.

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What did you make of it?

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Was it pure strength that he was able to shimmy up that pole?

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I think so, upper-body strength. Tree surgeons are very strong chaps

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by the nature of their work.

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It's a very labour intensive job.

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He's a tree-climbing expert and he certainly showed it that time.

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And very conscious of safety as well?

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Yes, he was, and I had to brief him

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but he was probably better equipped than I could ever be.

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Tell us as well because who pays for that? If you call out a tree surgeon to look after your tree, you pay.

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-Who pays for a cat getting out of a tree?

-It's no different.

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The tree surgeon may charge the owner of the cat for his services.

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The Fire Service don't bear that cost or the RSPCA may have to pay it.

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I believe on this occasion, they came to a mutual agreement.

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So you can sort of negotiate, can you?

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Yes, there's a bit of negotiation, leeway going on.

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And there are some dangers, we know on Real Rescues,

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getting cats out of trees, what sort of thing can happen?

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Apart from the dangers of falling,

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and we do advise members of the public not to climb trees,

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one of the dangers are there when cats are up trees for any

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length of time, especially male cats, they don't urinate.

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At the point of release, they tend to let go.

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A colleague of mine recently, I won't mention his name,

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he actually had an incident recently and if you were climbing the tree

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and you did this and this happened to you, you would fall out.

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Luckily, he was on the ground

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reaching the cat and the cat urinated onto him and he reached it.

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Unfortunately, the urine entered his mouth which again,

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is a viral hazard and a very unpleasant thing to happen.

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I bet he was not best pleased?

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He is a country gentleman and he dealt with it accordingly.

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-Buster, thank you!

-You're welcome.

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It's getting towards the end of a 12 hour shift

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for traffic cop Shelley Marder

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when an emergency comes in.

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At the moment we've been called to a vehicle

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that's driven through the wall of a front garden of a house.

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But far from lying at the scene injured,

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this driver's upped and gone.

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He's run away. He's been followed by a few members of the public

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but they've lost sight of him.

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We have a dog unit en route to hopefully pick up the track.

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Tango 203, show me at scene.

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Shelley finds the 4x4 with its front end smashed in.

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It's hit a lamp-post

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and then smashed into the wall of a small bridge.

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She's hoping a search will reveal who was driving.

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A few beer bottles in there and a receipt for some cigarette papers.

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I'm just trying to find anything that may identify who the driver is.

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Bear with me a second.

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Although the driver is missing, there is an eyewitness

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who saw what happened.

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-I saw him come out all over the place.

-So he was in front of you?

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-Yes, yes. He nearly hit these cars up here.

-OK.

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And he swerved all over here, all over the road, hit the bridge...

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hit the lamp-post first.

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-Hit the bridge.

-And he actually did try to drive off but obviously...

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-he can't.

-Yeah, the car's a bit gone.

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He got out and he ran off up the road.

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Another witness gave chase while Paul ran the police.

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But the driver outran his pursuer and now he is nowhere to be seen.

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It is very unusual. It is normally a sleepy town, really.

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The dog unit has gone off to find a fresh trail

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and Shelley is on a different route to track him down.

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The vehicle has been searched, there is nothing that identifies the driver.

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However, the keys have gone

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so they may possibly have that on them still.

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The car is registered to a company address, not a person,

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so we're just doing some checks at the moment to ascertain

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who could be the possible driver.

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It is not unusual for some people to run from the scene in a panic,

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but they always get found out in the end,

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whether it's today or tomorrow,

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or the next day, so there's no point running.

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The dog team haven't managed to find anyone.

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It's time for Shelley to knock off for the evening

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and leave the night shift to wait for the vehicle's recovery.

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But that's not the end of the police work.

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The following day,

0:18:480:18:49

Shelley tracked down the company the car was registered to.

0:18:490:18:52

She discovered the driver had told his boss about the accident

0:18:520:18:56

and was advised to contact the police as soon as possible.

0:18:560:19:00

He said when he came to rest, he ran from the scene

0:19:000:19:03

because he didn't want to lose his job.

0:19:030:19:05

He'll be interviewed about his actions

0:19:050:19:07

and what he did prior to the collision

0:19:070:19:08

and it will be up to the court to decide

0:19:080:19:11

what the best course of action for him would be.

0:19:110:19:15

He was later charged with careless driving

0:19:150:19:19

and failing to stop at an accident.

0:19:190:19:20

The call handlers here are cool, calm and collected

0:19:250:19:28

as was Liam Booth in Sheffield who took a 999 call

0:19:280:19:31

from a distraught young woman terrified for her life.

0:19:310:19:34

Her house had filled with smoke and she couldn't escape.

0:19:340:19:36

This is the 999 call.

0:19:360:19:39

Liam Booth was the call-taker doing his best to calm Sinead.

0:20:130:20:17

I woke up, my room was just filled with smoke.

0:20:170:20:20

So, I just ran downstairs, tried to get out and that didn't work.

0:20:210:20:25

So, I ran back upstairs,

0:20:250:20:27

got my phone, dialled 999 and just screamed.

0:20:270:20:31

Unfortunately, Sinead put herself in a bedroom

0:21:170:21:20

which was directly above the fire.

0:21:200:21:22

It would have been more dangerous to try and get her out and into another room.

0:21:220:21:26

I'd asked Sinead to sit down for me within the bedroom.

0:21:380:21:41

There, the air was clearer.

0:21:410:21:44

Unfortunately, there was a lot of smoke entering,

0:21:440:21:46

so I ended up having to get Sinead to lay flat on the floor

0:21:460:21:50

and get lower to the ground

0:21:500:21:51

until the actual fire crews attended.

0:21:510:21:54

I didn't know whether I was going to get out.

0:22:360:22:38

I didn't know what was going to happen next.

0:22:380:22:41

But the fact that he explained that we'd done the best we could,

0:22:420:22:46

and it was just waiting, then.

0:22:460:22:47

Liam's calm instructions and reassurance

0:22:470:22:51

helped Sinead keep it together until the firefighters

0:22:510:22:53

had knocked the fire back enough to get to her.

0:22:530:22:56

They put an oxygen mask on me,

0:22:560:22:58

shouted down, "Get the stairs clear! Get the front door open!"

0:22:580:23:02

They said, "We're going. We're going out. We're getting out."

0:23:020:23:05

Sinead got out safely,

0:23:050:23:07

but it was Liam who kept her out of danger

0:23:070:23:09

until the fire crews helped her walk out.

0:23:090:23:11

It was amazing having somebody there.

0:23:130:23:15

I honestly don't know what I'd have done

0:23:180:23:20

if he hadn't stayed on the phone.

0:23:200:23:22

If he hadn't given me the advice he did,

0:23:230:23:25

I wouldn't be here today.

0:23:250:23:27

Hi. I've just been chatting to James who's taking a bit of a break.

0:23:330:23:36

He was telling me a wonderful story about a community.

0:23:360:23:41

It starts with a butcher, turning up to make a delivery. What happens?

0:23:410:23:45

A butcher had received a morning phone call from an elderly lady.

0:23:450:23:49

She had asked for some meat from him and he delivers it to her.

0:23:490:23:53

It was about 11' o'clock he was due to arrive at the address.

0:23:530:23:56

He turned up at the address and there was no answer at the door.

0:23:560:23:58

Now, being a nice butcher, he knows her very well, regular customer,

0:23:580:24:02

he gets a bit concerned cos she's a creature of habit, right?

0:24:020:24:05

She is indeed. He knocks on the door, unable to get any response.

0:24:050:24:08

He went to a neighbour and they know the lady quite well.

0:24:080:24:11

She's a creature of habit, her dog's always with her.

0:24:110:24:14

They could hear it yapping away inside, so assumed she was in,

0:24:140:24:17

but possibly had had a fall. That's why she wasn't coming to the door.

0:24:170:24:20

She never leaves the house without the dog?

0:24:200:24:22

Never leaves the house without the dog. She's always with the dog,

0:24:220:24:25

she always takes it everywhere she goes.

0:24:250:24:27

It's her friend and it's always with her.

0:24:270:24:29

Right, so you think, OK, send the boys round?

0:24:290:24:31

Yeah, yeah. We attended the address and we gained entry

0:24:310:24:34

hoping she wasn't in there, injured.

0:24:340:24:36

She wasn't indeed in the property at all.

0:24:360:24:39

From looking around the property,

0:24:390:24:41

we found a contact number for a relative.

0:24:410:24:43

We gave them a call and she was out shopping with them.

0:24:430:24:45

-Oh, brilliant!

-Yeah, so it all ended well,

0:24:450:24:48

but it was obviously concerning in the first instance.

0:24:480:24:50

It's lovely to know there's that community spirit and people care...

0:24:500:24:53

Certainly, yeah. It's maybe not so good as it was in the olden days,

0:24:530:24:57

but it's good to see that people still care about their neighbours.

0:24:570:25:00

-James, thank you very much.

-No problems.

0:25:000:25:02

Southampton's Green Watch fire fighters aren't surprised by much,

0:25:020:25:05

but this next road traffic incident confounded them all.

0:25:050:25:09

SIRENS WAIL

0:25:090:25:13

It's just before 6am in the morning.

0:25:130:25:14

It's raining heavily, driving conditions are difficult.

0:25:140:25:18

And the fire fighters of Green Watch have been called to a car accident.

0:25:180:25:22

In the bush, it's over there.

0:25:240:25:26

There's nothing to be seen on the road.

0:25:310:25:33

The car is lying on its side in the bushes.

0:25:330:25:36

Watch manager Tim Harrison fears the worst for anyone still inside.

0:25:360:25:41

-Anyone in there?

-Yeah.

-We've got a lady in here.

0:25:410:25:44

-Conscious and breathing?

-Yep.

-OK.

0:25:440:25:47

It looks as though it's going to be a difficult job to get the woman out.

0:25:470:25:51

She obviously needs stabilisation.

0:25:510:25:54

Yeah. Stand fast. Wedge in the other side now.

0:25:540:25:58

We haven't got decent access to her at the moment.

0:25:580:26:00

The first job is to put wedges under the car

0:26:020:26:04

to make sure that it doesn't move

0:26:040:26:06

which could make the driver's situation even worse.

0:26:060:26:10

Emergency plan will be to drag her out.

0:26:100:26:12

Primary plan will be to get her out on a spine board.

0:26:120:26:14

Happy with the resources? Just two pumps.

0:26:140:26:17

-I think that's fine.

-Yeah, it should be all right. We'll see how we go, to start with.

0:26:170:26:21

Once we've got stabilisation done,

0:26:210:26:23

we'll let everyone know what the plan is.

0:26:230:26:24

Once the ambulance crew has assessed the woman,

0:26:240:26:27

they'll know whether or not it's vital to get her out quickly.

0:26:270:26:31

All right, I'll get my blokes to carry on with stabilisation,

0:26:330:26:36

but I'll let them know.

0:26:360:26:38

And there's some good news.

0:26:380:26:41

Senior paramedic Rob Isherwood has decided

0:26:410:26:43

the woman is not at risk of spinal injuries,

0:26:430:26:45

and it's safe for her to climb out of the smashed rear window.

0:26:450:26:49

The medic's letting her climb out, yeah.

0:26:490:26:52

-Bring one leg up, then the other one through.

-Stand up.

0:26:540:26:58

-That's it, well done.

-Stand down.

0:26:580:27:01

There you go.

0:27:010:27:03

Although she's clearly shaken,

0:27:060:27:07

she's fit enough to walk back up to the road,

0:27:070:27:10

with just a little help from Rob and Tim.

0:27:100:27:12

Take it nice and slow.

0:27:140:27:15

It seems she's had a lucky escape.

0:27:180:27:20

Not only has she survived the roll,

0:27:200:27:23

the car has managed to avoid all the trees in the area.

0:27:230:27:26

If it hadn't, it could have been an entirely different kind of rescue.

0:27:260:27:31

She'll now be thoroughly checked over in the ambulance,

0:27:310:27:34

before being taken to hospital.

0:27:340:27:36

Now, we're used to seeing all of the emergency services in high octane rescues.

0:27:400:27:45

But sometimes, it's just a gentle presence that's required to help desperate people.

0:27:450:27:50

It's the end of a long shift for police officers Barry Freeman and Richard Brand

0:27:510:27:55

when they get an urgent call to the cliffs.

0:27:550:27:58

There's a male on the edge up there, that's phoned the police,

0:27:580:28:01

saying that he wants to kill himself, obviously,

0:28:010:28:04

so we're heading up to that area now to see if we can locate him,

0:28:040:28:08

and hopefully bring him down,

0:28:080:28:11

without him doing any harm to himself.

0:28:110:28:14

They hope that, as the man called the police himself,

0:28:160:28:19

this is a sign that it's a desperate cry for help

0:28:190:28:22

rather than a suicide attempt.

0:28:220:28:24

When they find the spot,

0:28:270:28:28

the man is sitting on the very edge of the sheer cliff.

0:28:280:28:31

Below him, a 500 feet drop.

0:28:310:28:34

A local chaplain is already on the scene, trying to talk to him.

0:28:340:28:38

Just because the police are here, don't think you've done something wrong.

0:28:380:28:41

You haven't committed a crime, not coming out here.

0:28:410:28:45

We're just trying to help.

0:28:450:28:47

It's too dangerous for any of the rescuers to try to move closer.

0:28:470:28:50

The edge is crumbling and unstable.

0:28:500:28:53

They have to persuade him to take a step back.

0:28:530:28:55

This doesn't have to be the way it ends.

0:28:570:28:59

MAN BREATHES HEAVILY

0:28:590:29:01

Do you want to come back from the edge?

0:29:010:29:04

We know you're upset, mate.

0:29:040:29:06

We don't know what for at the moment, but we know you're upset.

0:29:060:29:10

But you don't have to end it because you're upset.

0:29:100:29:13

All they can do is to try and get him to talk.

0:29:130:29:16

PC Barry has been here before.

0:29:160:29:19

You called us, we're here.

0:29:190:29:22

We're here to talk to you.

0:29:220:29:24

We just want to hear from you.

0:29:270:29:29

You're obviously up here for a reason, my friend.

0:29:290:29:32

And we want to know what that reason is, so we can help.

0:29:320:29:35

After a lot of persuasion, there's a breakthrough.

0:29:370:29:39

The man agrees to take a step back from the edge.

0:29:390:29:42

At last, they're able to lead him to safety.

0:29:420:29:45

The police and the chaplaincy will now get the man the help he needs.

0:29:470:29:51

It's the best result for Barry and colleagues in the police.

0:29:520:29:56

You know, it's not very often that you get many

0:29:570:30:00

that we actually manage to save.

0:30:000:30:02

Definitely a result.

0:30:040:30:05

The hardest bit about it is when you've got that gap between them,

0:30:050:30:08

and you're trying to engage with someone

0:30:080:30:11

so that you can lower your tone,

0:30:110:30:14

meet them halfway, if you like.

0:30:140:30:18

And then just try and give them an option.

0:30:180:30:21

As we've said to him,

0:30:210:30:23

it takes a stronger man to walk away and face it,

0:30:230:30:28

than actually just going over the edge.

0:30:280:30:30

Well, the hero of the day is here.

0:30:350:30:38

Barry, you talked that poor gentleman down.

0:30:380:30:40

Has this happened to you before? You've been in that situation?

0:30:400:30:43

Yeah, I had one previously, a couple of weeks before.

0:30:430:30:46

And two others in my career.

0:30:460:30:48

So I've had four in the eight years I've been in the police. Yeah.

0:30:480:30:53

You don't have special training for this?

0:30:530:30:56

No, no, we don't get special training.

0:30:560:30:58

Obviously we get special training for roads policing,

0:30:580:31:01

which obviously is my main role.

0:31:010:31:03

You just relate that to this

0:31:030:31:05

and try and find a common ground really.

0:31:050:31:08

Which you did.

0:31:080:31:10

-You speak to him very slowly.

-Yes.

0:31:100:31:14

There's nothing that you go through, another routine.

0:31:140:31:16

You just relate to them, right?

0:31:160:31:17

Yeah, like we're talking now,

0:31:170:31:20

just a calm tone, just keep it nice and calm.

0:31:200:31:22

It was very rewarding for you, you did a terrific job.

0:31:220:31:25

And sometimes it's an impossible job.

0:31:250:31:28

It is emotionally draining on you, and I expect,

0:31:280:31:30

when it hasn't worked out, for your colleagues,

0:31:300:31:32

it stays with them forever.

0:31:320:31:34

Yeah, it's something they've got to live with.

0:31:340:31:36

We all make decisions every day on a split second that, later on,

0:31:360:31:39

you think, maybe could have done this different, could that done that different.

0:31:390:31:43

But you have to deal with what's in front of you,

0:31:430:31:45

and try and deal with it as best as you can.

0:31:450:31:48

It's the experience that gains that knowledge, if you like,

0:31:480:31:51

on how to deal with certain situations.

0:31:510:31:55

It's great for us to see the other side of policing, isn't it?

0:31:550:31:57

Yes, yes. This is the rewarding side.

0:31:570:31:59

It's not all about fixed penalty notices and speeding.

0:31:590:32:03

-Pleasure to meet you, Barry, thanks very much.

-Thank you.

0:32:030:32:06

As we've just seen, it's not just the emergency services

0:32:060:32:08

who are on hand at the chalk cliffs that run along the south coast.

0:32:080:32:11

Six years ago, a chaplaincy was set up

0:32:110:32:14

to try and prevent suicide attempts.

0:32:140:32:16

Nicola Hardy is one of two full-time employees

0:32:160:32:19

who work with a whole team of volunteers.

0:32:190:32:23

The area we patrol is, broadly speaking, a six-square-mile area.

0:32:250:32:31

We're looking for anybody that might be near the cliff edge

0:32:310:32:33

and showing any apparent signs of distress.

0:32:330:32:36

It's our initial view of them,

0:32:360:32:38

and our initial sight, to see whether there is a problem.

0:32:380:32:41

The chaplaincy, Christian but non-denominational,

0:32:410:32:44

operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week,

0:32:440:32:47

working with the coastguard and the emergency services.

0:32:470:32:50

We have a lot of help at times from members of the public,

0:32:500:32:54

very willing to share their concerns with us.

0:32:540:32:56

Sometimes they might drive their vehicles,

0:32:560:32:58

and they know we're on patrol up here, to locate us.

0:32:580:33:00

They knock on the window and say,

0:33:000:33:02

"I'm concerned about someone sitting in a car in a lay-by."

0:33:020:33:05

Or we might have people that are out walking in the beautiful downland,

0:33:050:33:08

and they'll actually find us on a patrol and share their concerns,

0:33:080:33:12

perhaps over someone that might be seated nearer the cliff edge

0:33:120:33:15

in an area they've just been past.

0:33:150:33:17

The chaplains recognise the role the police play.

0:33:170:33:21

We see a side to the police that many people may not.

0:33:210:33:24

They show a compassion and a tenderness

0:33:240:33:26

which is beautifully framed, really, for the job that they're doing,

0:33:260:33:31

with people in such distress.

0:33:310:33:33

And they have a gentleness in their questioning.

0:33:330:33:37

And every success is a life saved.

0:33:370:33:41

When you are able to put your hand out to somebody,

0:33:410:33:44

and have them take it and have them come back away from the edge

0:33:440:33:48

and come to you,

0:33:480:33:49

and that you've actually been able to offer them hope,

0:33:490:33:52

and they've seen a glimpse,

0:33:520:33:54

it's the best thing in the world.

0:33:540:33:56

The New Forest is a renowned area of natural beauty. B&Bs abound.

0:33:590:34:03

But, for one in Lyndhurst,

0:34:030:34:05

the visitors coming through their door were unexpected, to say the least.

0:34:050:34:09

SIRENS

0:34:090:34:10

It's coming up to 11pm, and Green Watch from St Mary's fire station

0:34:100:34:14

are heading to an emergency that's off their normal patch.

0:34:140:34:20

We're being called to a road traffic collision

0:34:200:34:23

with a vehicle which, we were told, had crashed into a building.

0:34:230:34:27

So we've got one casualty trapped.

0:34:270:34:30

It's on the main road into the New Forest.

0:34:300:34:34

So, it's a bit of a journey out there.

0:34:340:34:36

An update comes through on the radio.

0:34:360:34:40

Fire fighters Adam Bundle and Liam Barry

0:34:430:34:46

are currently riding in St Mary's special equipment unit.

0:34:460:34:49

It's been requested, as this is an unusual situation.

0:34:490:34:54

A car is embedded in the front wall of a guesthouse.

0:34:540:34:57

Nobody else has been hurt,

0:34:570:34:59

but a young man and woman are trapped in the front seats.

0:34:590:35:03

The decision is soon taken.

0:35:290:35:31

The roof is coming off.

0:35:340:35:36

Excuse me, gents.

0:35:360:35:39

-Just this side of your last cut.

-Yeah.

0:35:390:35:41

So if we can get that side done, then this side will be the last one.

0:35:410:35:44

I'll get someone else to do the other side with the other tools.

0:35:440:35:47

The pain that the couple in the car are experiencing in their necks

0:35:470:35:51

means there's the risk either of them could have a spinal injury.

0:35:510:35:55

They'll need to be lifted out.

0:35:550:35:57

The fire fighters carefully work around the couple

0:36:030:36:05

and the paramedics treating them.

0:36:050:36:07

Shielding them with special sheets,

0:36:090:36:11

as they break the glass windows of the car, in a controlled fashion.

0:36:110:36:16

STEADY KNOCKING FROM EQUIPMENT

0:36:280:36:31

Cutting!

0:36:340:36:36

Using powerful hydraulic tools,

0:36:360:36:38

they cut, tear, and prise away the metal

0:36:380:36:41

of every post that connects the roof of the car.

0:36:410:36:44

With the roof lifted off,

0:36:470:36:49

the medical team now have full access to the injured couple.

0:36:490:36:52

The woman on the passenger side will be taken out first.

0:37:000:37:04

The team gently ease the spinal board down, behind her back...

0:37:040:37:08

..and then lower the car seat,

0:37:100:37:12

so that they can slide her onto it.

0:37:120:37:15

They want to protect her spine at all times,

0:37:160:37:20

so many hands are needed to ensure that she can be lifted

0:37:200:37:23

across to the stretcher without a jolt or a judder.

0:37:230:37:27

The same process is repeated for the driver.

0:37:290:37:33

Yeah, I've got that, mate.

0:37:350:37:37

OK, are you all right?

0:37:370:37:40

The injured pair will both be travelling by ambulance

0:37:400:37:43

to Southampton General Hospital.

0:37:430:37:45

They'll be reunited in the emergency department,

0:37:450:37:49

where they'll receive a full set of x-rays

0:37:490:37:51

to hopefully clear them of any serious injury.

0:37:510:37:54

Today, alone, this contact centre will receive about 1,000 calls,

0:38:000:38:04

and really they are all sorts.

0:38:040:38:06

-Annabel, you've just come off a call. Can I talk to you about it?

-Absolutely.

0:38:060:38:09

A lady who had been called by some conmen.

0:38:090:38:11

What have they persuaded her to do?

0:38:110:38:13

They persuaded her to hand over her sort code, bank account details

0:38:130:38:17

and passwords, saying there was a problem with her account,

0:38:170:38:19

and they needed the details to fix it.

0:38:190:38:21

She gave them to them, bless her.

0:38:210:38:22

-Which you should never do, if anybody phones you up.

-Not at all.

0:38:220:38:25

What they then proceeded to do was

0:38:250:38:27

go to the bank and take £4,000 out of her account.

0:38:270:38:30

So her relatives phoned up, quite concerned.

0:38:300:38:32

-You find out there's £4,000 missing.

-Yes.

-How, then, do you trace it?

0:38:320:38:36

We work in conjunction with the banks.

0:38:360:38:38

What they do is, they found out where the money was taken from,

0:38:380:38:41

and what it was used for.

0:38:410:38:42

It has been used for something.

0:38:420:38:44

Yes, it had, a very large supply of alcohol order,

0:38:440:38:47

which was due to be delivered to an address in Manchester.

0:38:470:38:49

Then we worked with the Manchester Police,

0:38:490:38:51

and arranged for the delivery to be intercepted by Manchester police units.

0:38:510:38:55

So we caught the baddies, stopped them getting the booze,

0:38:550:38:57

and she got her money back.

0:38:570:38:59

-That's fantastic policing.

-Yes, it was, a happy story. Working well together.

0:38:590:39:03

What that tells me is that it's almost worth making a call

0:39:030:39:05

-if you're suspicious about something.

-Absolutely.

0:39:050:39:08

If anybody rings you and asks for your bank details,

0:39:080:39:10

don't ever tell them anything.

0:39:100:39:12

Your bank wouldn't ask you for your details if they had a problem like that. So don't do it.

0:39:120:39:16

-They'd never asked for a password or a pin, would they?

-No, never.

0:39:160:39:19

-Very good advice. Take care.

-You're welcome.

0:39:190:39:22

Now, as we've heard,

0:39:220:39:23

being a police officer isn't always about fighting crime,

0:39:230:39:26

difficult detection, or even just keeping the peace.

0:39:260:39:29

It sometimes requires specialist knowledge.

0:39:290:39:31

It sometimes involves much more mundane skills,

0:39:310:39:34

like knowing how to use a set of jump leads.

0:39:340:39:37

SIRENS

0:39:370:39:39

Driving his patrol car along the A21 towards Hastings,

0:39:390:39:42

PC Richard Brand has encountered an unexpected hazard.

0:39:420:39:46

A broken-down car is blocking a busy 60 mile-an-hour stretch of the road.

0:39:460:39:51

It's an accident waiting to happen.

0:39:510:39:53

Have you had any other problems with it recently?

0:39:530:39:56

Not... The batteries. Flat.

0:39:560:39:59

-Right.

-What are we going to do now?

0:39:590:40:01

Give me your car key a minute.

0:40:010:40:02

Normally, this would be a job for the roadside recovery services.

0:40:020:40:06

But a tricky location means the police will have to get involved.

0:40:060:40:10

It's got no power at all.

0:40:100:40:13

The engine is completely dead.

0:40:130:40:15

So it's time to inspect under the bonnet.

0:40:150:40:17

-The battery is nearly new, it is one and half years.

-Right.

0:40:170:40:21

After a spot of tinkering with the wires,

0:40:210:40:23

Richard hopes he has engineered a quick fix.

0:40:230:40:26

ENGINE SPLUTTERS

0:40:260:40:28

Ah. Because it's really flat.

0:40:280:40:31

But no luck.

0:40:310:40:32

What we're going to have to do is, when one of my colleagues turns up,

0:40:320:40:35

OK, I am going to have to reverse your car...

0:40:350:40:41

down the hill, on the left-hand side,

0:40:410:40:44

there's an entrance in there.

0:40:440:40:47

I'll put your car in there so you're not blocking the road any more. OK.

0:40:470:40:50

Because I have cables to the battery.

0:40:500:40:54

If someone will come to my car, very quick, it will start it.

0:40:540:40:58

I can't use my car for it.

0:40:580:40:59

But I might be able to use my colleague's actually when she turns up.

0:40:590:41:05

In between his traffic control duties,

0:41:050:41:06

Richard is still trying to work out what went wrong with the car.

0:41:060:41:10

And does your fuel gauge only move when the engine's running?

0:41:100:41:14

-Has it got diesel in it?

-Yes.

-It has?

-Yes.

0:41:170:41:20

Because the fuel gauge isn't moving.

0:41:200:41:22

At last, the back-up vehicle arrives.

0:41:220:41:25

Plan B, they're going to try to jump-start the car from where it is.

0:41:250:41:30

-That's not going to reach!

-HE LAUGHS

0:41:330:41:37

No, it's not going to reach.

0:41:370:41:38

That is a gnat's whisker away.

0:41:410:41:43

Nothing about this job is easy.

0:41:430:41:46

ENGINE REVS

0:41:460:41:49

It's the moment of truth.

0:41:490:41:51

ENGINE STARTS

0:41:510:41:53

At last! The engine fires up.

0:41:550:41:57

Please don't stall it, because it might not start again.

0:41:580:42:01

What you need to do is to give it a good run for at least 20 minutes.

0:42:010:42:05

Hopefully, if the alternator is working properly, as it should be,

0:42:050:42:08

then hopefully it will help recharge it.

0:42:080:42:10

But don't stop and start it for at least 20 minutes. All right?

0:42:100:42:13

-Thank you very much.

-OK. Done!

0:42:130:42:15

It may not have been his most challenging case,

0:42:150:42:20

but for PC Brand, it's all in a day's work.

0:42:200:42:22

Thankfully, she's on her way, and the road is now free-flowing.

0:42:220:42:25

So, job done.

0:42:250:42:27

-Do you know how to use jump leads?

-Yes.

-Oh, do you?

0:42:300:42:33

-I haven't done for a while though.

-Have you got any?

0:42:330:42:36

-Possibly not.

-OK, you're going to have to give me a lift home then!

0:42:360:42:39

-That's it from Real Rescues. See you next time.

-Bye-bye.

0:42:390:42:42

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