Police sergeant Darren Taylor risked his own life to pursue a suicidal man into a hazardous 'home-made' mine.
Last November, a 999 call reported that the man had gone missing, leaving a suicide note. He was found in an illegal shaft behind his father's home in Silkstone Common, where they had been mining coal for 30 years.
Tunnels with no roof supports ran for 200 metres, and the floor was sticky with wet sludge. The electrical supply was hazardous and insufficient air was circulating with a risk of black damp, methane explosion and suffocation.
The suicidal male was in a confined dead-end tunnel, had a knife which he was pressing against his wrist, and had already taken an overdose.
Restricted in movement, Sgt Taylor spent 50 minutes in the tunnel until he finally convinced the man to come out.
For this action, he won the South Yorkshire Police Bravery Award. He has now been nominated for a Proud of Barnsley award in the Emergency Services Worker category.
His nominator Paul Davies said: "Without PS Taylor's selfless disregard for his own safety and willingness to work in a dangerous confined space, this man may have committed suicide, died of hypothermia or suffocation."
Sgt Taylor is also sergeant in charge of Barnsley's Anti Social Behaviour (ASB) Team. Formed for less than two years, it has seen a 24 per cent reduction in ASB in the Barnsley area.
Sgt Taylor has helped with many public order situations this past year such as football fixtures, right-wing demonstrations and the G8 conference in Northern Ireland.
