A POLICE officer from Greenock has been honoured for his role in saving the life of a man who had jumped into a river.

Sergeant Iain Farmer has won a Scottish Police Federation bravery award for leading his colleagues in treacherous conditions to save the life of a 20-year-old man.

The man who had jumped into the River Irvine and was rescued by Iain and his fellow officers.

Sergeant Farmer, who has 13 years of service with Police Scotland and is based at Kilmarnock, said: “It was imperative to get the man out of the water.

"Our focus was very much on ensuring that he was safe.

"The team worked really well together.

"I am very proud of the efforts and risk they went to in order to bring this situation to a positive conclusion.”

It was in August last year when the police received reports that a man was standing on the wrong side of the bridge over the fast flowing river.

When the officers arrived on site, they saw the man jump in and swept downstream at high speed.

Using his skills and experience, Sergeant Farmer co-ordinated his team to create a human chain along a tree which had fallen across the river. Holding onto each other’s belts and the branches of the tree, they managed to grab the man as he went past and haul him to safety.

Andrea MacDonald, chair of the Scottish Police Federation, said: “The actions undertaken by these police officers that day were incredibly brave.

"With no regard for their own safety, they put themselves in a position of risk to save a life.

“These awards are about recognising the incredible efforts of Scotland’s police officers who all too often are faced with situations which could have major repercussions.

"It is right that they are recognised for their honourable actions which go a long way in keeping our communities safe.”

Sergeant Farmer, alongside his colleagues Constables Andy Roseburgh, Carolyne Quinn, James Laurie, David Plancey, Graeme Sheehan and Fergus Shaw, received the award at a prestigious ceremony held in the Macdonald Holyrood Hotel in Edinburgh.

The officers also attended a reception at Bute House hosted by justice secretary Humza Yousaf.