Life savers

Duo talk down man attempting to self-harm in town centre

Two anti-litter patrol officers became life-savers in Maidstone on Saturday as they helped save a man threatening to kill himself in the street.

The officers, Jade Hooper and Danny Herbert, were patrolling on Station Road when a member of the public told them about a man cutting himself with a ripped drinks can.

The officers rushed to the scene and found a man standing in the middle of the road attempting to self-harm.

Between them they calmed the man - in his mid-20s - down and control the growing crowd until paramedics and police arrived.

The man was taken in an ambulance to hospital for treatment.

The duo, who work for local authority support provider XFOR Group, patrol the town issuing fixed penalty notices to people dropping litter or not controlling their dogs. XFOR Group operations director Michael Fisher said: “We are incredibly proud of the way our officers dealt with a dangerous situation.

“They remained professional and composed throughout, and we really can’t praise them enough.”

And the pair won more praise from Maidstone Borough Council’s environmental operations manager, Martyn Jeynes, who saw them in action with the desperate man.

Mr Jeynes said: “I just happened to be speaking to Jade and Danny when they were approached by a member of the public about the incident.

“They immediately went to help and take charge of the situation.

“I have struggled to put into words the tension of the situation. But I genuinely do not know what the young man would have done to himself had Jade and Danny not stepped in.

“Their management of the situation was fantastic and, having reviewed the CCTV footage of the incident, I cannot express how proud I am of them.

“What I saw on Saturday was two professionals going well above and beyond the call of duty.”