Policeman Andy List is being hailed a hero after he dived fully clothed into the Kennet and Avon Canal late on Saturday night to save a distressed woman from drowning.

Officers were called to the bridge near Coate Road, Devizes, after a local woman called to expressed concern about her daughter.

The police helicopter was scrambled to look for her and ground crews also searched the area close to the canal.

Eventually the woman, who has a history of mental health problems, was found at the bridge.

PC List, 48, said: “She was shouting various things but she was incoherent. I think she was very drunk.

“She wandered off down the road then she just jumped into the canal. I jumped in after her and Mark Green, who is with the roads policing team, went in as well.

“It was very dark and the water was cold. We found her floating face down on the surface but managed to get her to the bank.

“She was quite solid, about 14 stones I’d say, but with the help of our colleagues we dragged her out and ambulance paramedics attended to her.”

The woman, who is in her early 20s, was taken to a place of safety and has now been detained at a mental health facility. She has not been named.

But the night was not over for PC List.

He said: “Fortunately I live quite close by so I just went home to change and then went back on duty.

“It’s just one of the things you get called on to do in this job. I’m no kind of hero.”

Sergeant Vince Logue of Devizes Police paid tribute to PC List and PC Green. He said: “They did a terrific job. This is the sort of thing that police officers are frequently required to do, just think on their feet.

“On this occasion there is no doubt that they saved this woman’s life.”

It is not the first time a Devizes officer has been required to save someone from drowning. PC Tom Kinderman recently received an award for saving driver Bozena Krupka from her submerged car at Littleton Panell and, in May 2002, PC Karl Broadhead dragged a man from the canal after he had thrown himself off the Town Bridge.