A Gwent police officer living in Abergavenny scooped up an award for bravery last week.

William Duggan, an Abergavenny local for the last 20 years, picked up the Lifesaver Award after his heroics saved a young girl stuck in mud as a rising tide fast approached.

During a visit to his hometown of Wexford, Ireland, Mr Duggan saw an 11-year-old girl walking along the shore before she came into difficulty.

Mr Duggan said he was at a hotel celebrating his brother Laurence’s birthday when he noticed the imperilled young girl waving frantically for help as others didn’t notice. The brothers then set about rescuing her.

“We soon realised that she couldn’t turn around and that she was stuck. If she had fallen on her face she could have been smothered in mud because it’s about six foot deep and there’s nothing to push down on to help you get up.

“We walked calmly down to the bank and picked up life buoy and unravelled it. She saw us and we told her to stay calm. It took us three attempts to get the ring round her.

“We gave her instructions on what to do so we could try pull her in to land on her back. When we got her in she was covered in muck from head to toe.”

The traumatic event left the girl ‘shaken’ but unharmed.

In 2004 he saved the life of a man who got into difficulty in the River Usk. He was given a Divisional superintendent commendation for his bravery.

Mr Duggan will be commended at a special Pride of Gwent event on March 31.