A POLICE officer saved a teenager dealing with mental health issues from drowning in a river during a heroic rescue.

Constable Andrew Cannon has been named the Emergency Services First Aid Hero at the Scottish First Aid Awards as a result of his efforts, which took place at the Gryffe River in Renfrewshire.

In April, local police took a call from a distressed family to say their 18-year-old son had gone missing and was not in a stable frame of mind.

He was spotted near the river, partially clothed, and was under the influence of drugs and alcohol. 

A police helicopter was deployed above while Constable Cannon searched for the teenager.

He eventually found him in the river, delirious, covered by dense foliage and flowing downstream.

At this point, the officer took swift action to enter the river, grabbing hold of him and pulling him to the riverbank out of harms way.

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The teenager later made a full recovery, with his grandfather later saying: "We will always feel indebted for what they did.

"I would like to express our heartfelt appreciation, especially to the officer who went into the river to pull him out.”

A record-breaking 58 nominees were celebrated at the annual St Andrew’s First Aid Awards, that aim to recognise heroes who champion first aid and ultimately make Scotland a safer place to live.

Stuart Callison, chief executive of St Andrew’s First Aid, said: “Police Constable Cannon is a clear example of the huge bravery shown by our emergency services all too often.

"His handling of this incident and ability to deliver a combination of both physical and mental first aid to a young man when he needed it the most, epitomises the very essence of a hero.

"Had it not been for his actions, the ending to this story could have been very different. We are very proud to be able to present him with his award.”