Police thank ‘brave and selfless’ personal trainer who rescued a teenage girl from a Highland river

[July 22, 2020: The Press & Journal]

A police inspector has given thanks to a “brave and selfless” Inverness man after he rescued a teenage girl from a river.

Personal trainer Alan Goodwin was walking along the beach in Nairn on July 1 after finishing a one-to-one session with a client in the town.

As he walked along the pier, he heard the sound of someone screaming and struggling.

Looking down, he realised that a girl who had been sitting on the side of the pier had entered the water and was now struggling to stay afloat in the mouth of the River Nairn.

After scrambling to find a life ring to throw for the girl, he then climbed down the pier’s ladder and managed to pull the girl to safety.

Acting inspector Steven Maclennan from Nairn police station has now reached out to Mr Goodwin to thank him for his heroic efforts.

In a letter, he said: “The officers at the scene described your actions as instrumental in assisting with a distressed female whereby you engaged the female in conversation and encouraged her to swim to the water’s edge, before climbing down and helping her from the river.

“You did all this despite the inherent and obvious risk to yourself due to the River Nairn undergoing a strong tidal surge at that time.

“If it wasn’t for your actions, there is no saying how this situation would have ended.

“I am sending this letter to pass on the appreciation of Police Scotland for what I can only describe as your brave and selfless actions that night.”... MORE