Nottinghamshire Police officer dies after being hit by train while saving man on the tracks

A police officer who was hit by a train while trying to save a man on the tracks has died.

Sergeant Graham Saville, a response officer based at Newark Police Station in Nottinghamshire, sustained serious injuries after he was hit in Balderton, near Newark-on-Trent, last Thursday (24 August) while responding to an incident involving concern for the welfare of a man.

The officer, 46, passed away at Queen’s Medical Centre on Tuesday with his family at his bedside, the force said.

The man pulled from the tracks, a 29-year-old who has not been named, sustained electrocution injuries, and was also taken to hospital where he remains with injuries which are not believed to be life-changing.

Chief Constable Kate Meynell said: “Today is a day of mourning for the entire police family.

“Graham was a hugely respected and popular colleague and his death in the line of duty has come as an enormous shock to us all.

“Our hearts and deepest condolences go out to his family and we will do everything we can to support them through this unimaginably devastating time.

“It is impossible to put into words how devastating this news is for everyone who loved and respected Graham.

“On Thursday, he went to work to protect the people of Nottinghamshire from harm, and it is testament to his bravery and dedication as a police officer that he was fatally injured while attempting to save another man’s life.

“His service and sacrifice will never be forgotten.

“I would also like to pay tribute to the officers who attended the scene, some of whom provided immediate medical assistance while the ambulance was on its way.

“This was a deeply traumatic incident for those officers and we have a dedicated team providing support to them.

“When a colleague dies in the line of duty the shockwaves and sadness reverberate throughout the policing family and we will all deeply mourn our colleague.”

An investigation into the incident, led by British Transport Police, is ongoing.

British Transport Police’s assistant chief constable Allan Gregory said: “This is truly devastating news and on behalf of everyone at British Transport Police I’d like to offer sincere and heartfelt condolences to Sergeant Saville’s family, and to our colleagues at Nottinghamshire Police.

“Detectives from BTP are conducting a full and thorough investigation in order to establish the full circumstances of what happened last week.

“We remain in the very early stages of this investigation and we will be working alongside the Coroner’s Office as it progresses.

“It is one of the darkest days in policing to lose an officer in the line of duty, and Sergeant Saville’s loved ones will be at the forefront of our minds throughout our enquiries.”

Head of the College of Policing, Chief Constable Andy Marsh, said: “This is devastating news and my thoughts and condolences are with this brave officer’s family, friends and colleagues at this very sad time.

“It is a tragic reminder of the risks and bravery shown every day by our police officers and staff to keep the public safe.”