Rescuers recount their failed attempt in floods

Crews involved in the attempted rescue of Michael Barnett, who died in Hull of hypothermia when his leg got stuck in a storm drain during the 2007 floods, told the story of the tragedy to the BBC in a recent documentary.

The attempt to rescue him lasted for four hours – crews tried different methods in the desperate struggle, but weren’t able to release him before he succumbed to the freezing temperatures.

Speaking to the BBC’s Inside Out programme, PC Rocky Clark, of Humberside Police, described arriving in the street.

He said: “As we walked round the corner of the garage [we were] met by a scene – I still can’t get my head around it.

“It was almost like somebody turned a switch – the volume, people shouting, screaming ‘the police are here’.

“As I walked round the corner it was like somebody had hit you.

“I shouted down the radio, ‘we need the fire brigade … this is a life threatening situation’ and I just got in the water.”

Taff Evans, incident commander for Humberside Fire and Rescue Service, said crews had tried desperately to free Mr Barnett from the grate.

He said: “We tried police divers manipulating Michael`s leg out of the grate and that was unsuccessful.

“We tried using cutters and the police dive team, cutting the bars to try and release Michael, and again that was unsuccessful.

“We then looked at using a police Land Rover and winching Michael free, and again, that failed.”

Despite desperate efforts, Mr Barnett could not be freed in time. A police diver held his hand as he died.

PC Clark said: “I hope this goes across OK to his father and I don`t mean any disrespect.

“Michael knew what was going to happen and I think he was so cold, he was so frightened he`d almost resigned himself to that fact, and that was written on his face.”

PC Ron Morton, a Humberside Police diver, broke down as he recalled that day.

He said: “Twenty-eight years being a police officer, I`ve seen an awful lot of things, but this situation was quite a bit different.

“We were right hands on with him for a couple of hours, with a lad who’s alive, and then a couple of hours later he dies in front of you. It’s not very nice.”

The crews described what it had been like to live with the knowledge that they had not managed to save Mr Barnett`s life, and the criticism the rescue effort had received following his death.

Mr Morton said: “It’s had quite an effect on myself and most of the lads on the team.

“Everybody deals with this slightly differently.

“We got in a situation where we were put at risk as well as Michael and unfortunately we lost against a really powerful force.”

Mr Evans said: “We all feel we made promises to Michael that day, Michael Junior, and you know, we felt we let his dad down.”

PC Clark said: “Every single day you think of it, morning noon and night – I’m devastated we couldn`t get Michael out, he fought so long in the water.”

Mr Barnett, who regularly returns to the street where his son lost his life, has praised the crews who battled to save him.

Six firefighters and incident commander Taff Evans have since received bravery awards for their role in the attempted rescue.

The seven police officers who attended are due to receive bravery awards at a ceremony in Hull later this month.