News, Veterans | 31 October 2025

Bravery award for Poachers Veteran who jumped into the river to save a baby girl

Nathan Selby, a Poachers Veteran, has received a Police Public Bravery Award from the National Police Chiefs’ Council for his efforts in saving the youngster in December 2024.

Nathan was walking through Welland Park in Market Harborough with his family on his way to doing some last minute Christmas shopping when the dramatic incident unfolded.

Nathan, who works as a construction manager for Severn Trent Water, told the Harborough Mail: “We were walking by the rear entrance of the all-weather pitch at the school and my daughter said she saw something in the river and ran over to see what it was. She came back a minute later saying she thinks it is a bag or teddy.

Nathan’s nomination form then describes how a woman nearby shouted that she was looking for a one-year-old called Charlotte in a yellow coat. Nathan was near the embankment when he heard there was a child in the water and turned to see her floating downstream. He immediately jumped into the water, grabbing Charlotte and waded back with her to the embankment.

Nathan said he snapped his medial meniscus muscle as he ran towards the water and recalled: “The water was very fast and I only just grabbed her with my fingers.
“That was sheer luck because I wouldn’t have been able to keep up with the water.“I turned her over and it was a baby girl who was unresponsive, blue and floppy.”

“I grabbed hold and lifted her onto my shoulder and waded back keeping her out of the water as best as possible. “By the time I got back to the side her mum was screaming and I handed her over.”

Off-duty doctor Alison Caunt, who was also in the park at the time with her partner, then assisted by providing Charlotte with resuscitation, which allowed her to expel a large amount of water, helping her regain consciousness and colour.

She was taken out of her wet clothes and wrapped in blankets, before being taken to Birmingham Children’s Hospital by air ambulance, where she made a full recovery.

Alison also received a police bravery award for her efforts.

Although Nathan is awaiting an operation on his leg he said: “I have been asked a lot of times would you do it again, and I would 100 per cent do it again even if I knew it would kill me.

“I don’t believe I deserve the award – in my head I was doing something I would expect anyone to do and just knowing Charlotte is OK makes my life a brighter place and is really the only thing that I care about.”
Police Public Bravery Awards honour selfless members of the public who have placed themselves in dangerous situations, protected others, defended communities, prevented crime or actively assisted police.