Off-duty police officer praised for saving man's life on Tyne Bridge

An off-duty police officer has been praised after stopping to help save a man’s life while on her way to the cinema.

PC Lisa Robertson was on the way to meet friends when she saw a man in distress on the Tyne Bridge in Newcastle.

Despite not being on shift, PC Robertson pulled over her car and sprang into action.

She immediately struck up a rapport with the man in his 40s, keeping him talking while alerting police and calling for support.

Within 30 minutes, PC Robertson helped bring the man to safety and made sure he was given the appropriate support by medical experts.

Northumbria Police has now given the hero officer a cinema voucher, to make up for her missed night out.

Superintendent Barrie Joisce said: “We are incredibly thankful and proud of PC Robertson. Without doubt, her quick and decisive actions that night helped save the man’s life.

“Her warmth and caring nature shone through as she stopped to help and she expertly seized control of what could have been a very difficult situation.

“Wanting to protect the vulnerable is in the DNA of any outstanding police officer. PC Robertson certainly showcased that in abundance and she deserves huge credit for going above and beyond in this way.

“I know she sacrificed her night out at the cinema to care for the man, offering to stay even longer to help despite not being at work and at a time when she deserved to relax and unwind.

“PC Robertson is exactly the type of person I am proud to have working alongside me in the policing family and know the public will share my gratitude to her for being a true life-saver.”

PC Robertson, who joined the Force in 2019, played down her efforts and said: “I just did what anyone would have done – and the most important thing is that the man was brought to safety.

“I hope he gets the help and support he needs, and thankfully everything worked out for the best. It was a team effort – from all the emergency service staff and support services who attended to the members of the public who offered to assist.

“We’re in this job to try and make a positive difference, so I’m really pleased I was able to manage that and help bring this incident to a safe conclusion.”