Bravery award for reluctant hero who rescued driver from river in Stratford
PAUL Beardmore is a reluctant hero. The 63-year-old went to the aid of a driver whose car ended up in the River Avon in Stratford in November, helping her from the cold water to safety.
His selfless act has brought him some positive – albeit unwanted – attention, including a Royal Humane Society Award which was presented to Paul last week.
The retired Jaguar Land Rover worker, who lives in Meon Vale, has been told by many people that his actions were brave – including his 91-year-old father, Stan.
However, Paul, a member of Stratford Boat Club, told the Herald he didn’t really want the limelight as “anybody else would have done the same thing”.
Both Paul Stanton, the club president, and Chris Best have pointed out that, no, not everyone would have gone into the river to help.
“I just did it and that’s that,” Paul said. “I don’t really want pats on the back. Receiving the award, we just did a little handshake with the president and a photograph for the Royal Humane Society, but as I explained to Paul, Chris and others, it’s not about me – if it helps the club, I don’t mind the publicity… but Paul Beardmore superhero – no chance.”
Paul had been out rowing with Gina Dallison on 8th November. They had finished on the river and Gina, who was parked in the boat club’s car park, was going to drive home to Rugby.
As she reversed her Mitsubishi Colt, Gina’s foot became jammed on the accelerator, it raced backwards and ‘lifted off’, splashing into the river.
The mother-of-two, who has multiple sclerosis, said that her legs were tired after the training and rather than rest, she opted to head for home.
At the time she told the Herald: “I’ve got an automatic car and I could feel myself going backwards and the next thing you know I’m speeding up and into the drink.
“I was going quite a pace by that point.”
She added: “The water started coming in and I recognised that I needed to get out, so I opened the windows and I was shouting to the guys. They were almost stripping off to get in and I shouted back that I was alright.
“They were shouting ‘you need to get out’, but I couldn’t open the car door. So I put my phone and my keys in my pocket and then climbed out the window.
“It was lucky because the windows then started going up. I could have been stuck in there.”
Paul was quickly on his way to help and the pair made it safely back to dry land where the emergency services had started to gather.
“It could have easily gone so wrong, but because it didn’t I’ve been given an award,” said Paul.
“I can remember when it happened, I said to Mark Dewdney, one of the coaches, ‘I’m going in’. I was more appropriately dressed than Mark, but it was more of a question really. He said: ‘I think you should.’
“When I was swimming across to Gina the car was rolling over because of Gina’s bodyweight on the right-hand side. I was thinking I need to get there before the car rolls over.”
Paul, who has two boys with his wife Debbie, added: “My dad’s 91. He’s immensely proud of it. He said: ‘It’s a big thing Paul, take a pat on the back for it’.”
Gina, who was part of the boat club’s adaptive squad, was fine and her car was quickly pulled from the river.
Mr Stanton, who presented the award to Paul on behalf of HRH Princess Alexandra, president of the Royal Humane Society, said: “Stratford Boat Club is immensely proud of Paul Beardmore and his selfless act of bravery and quick action which undoubtedly saved the life of a fellow member of the adaptive squad.
“Paul is a self-effacing, modest person but the club could not let the presentation pass without honouring Paul. It was especially pleasing that not only fellow members of the adaptive squad were present but also many members of Stratford’s junior squad who had just concluded their four-day Easter junior sculling camp.”