WHEN police got the call a woman with a history of self harm had gone missing, a fullscale search was launched.

The police helicopter was scrambled, the coastguard launched search boats, and paramedics were alerted and ready to spring into action.

But it was the instinct and bravery of police dog handler PC David Bridge which led to the woman being rescued.

PC Bridge was called to Thorpe Bay, with his dog Diesel, after being told the missing woman had previously walked out onto the mud on Shoebury beach in a suicide attempt.

With no direction of where to go, he decided to drive along the front of the beach huts with a light shining out to sea.

Thames Coastguard informed him they thought they could see the woman closer to shore and Mr Bridge quickly located her about 100 metres into the mud, continuing to walk into the sea.

Without hesitation, he got out of his car and ran out to sea fully clothed.

He said: “I didn’t think about the cold, I just wondered how deep it was going to get before I got to her.

“I ran along, jumped over the seawall and into the water.”

Water was up to the woman’s chest and she continued to walk into the sea.

Mr Bridge shouted ‘hold on’, but the woman was too determined to listen.

He said: “I waded up to my chest and grabbed hold of her by her wrists. I then realised she had sliced her wrists open.

“She had scars where she had cut herself to ribbons through years of self harm.

“She didn’t want to come back.

She was in a daze and stood there rigid.”

But quick-thinking Mr Bridge had an idea. He said: “I remembered she had a dog, because when the police searched her house, the dog was still there.

“I said to her ‘I hear you like dogs and you have one?’ “She said yes. I said ‘I have one in my car, do you want to see it?’ “She was responsive then, she said yes and we walked back to shore.

“When we got on the beach, I realised she was still holding the razor blade. I went to shake her hand so she would drop the razor.”

When they got to shore, paramedics and fellow officers were quickly on scene to administer first aid.

The incident unfolded at about 1am on June 26, and half an hour later Mr Bridge, soaked to the bone, and frozen to the core, was back on the road with Diesel, responding to a report of a stolen car on the A127 in Basildon, and continuing his patrols.

On April 10, Mr Bridge will be awarded a chief constable commendation, as well as a royal humane society award for his act of bravery in the saving of a human life.

He said: “I feel excited to receive a commendation and the award. It’s nice to get a thank you.

“We do put ourselves out and go above and beyond, so it’s nice to be recognised.

“I’m pretty sure she meant to kill herself that night.

“Had I not seen her she might have. But I was just doing my job.

“It was a case of right place, right time.”