2 PCSOs stand by as 10 year old drowns

Police Chiefs in Manchester have defended two Police Community Support Officers who watched on as a 10 year old boy drowned in a pond.

Jordon Lyon, who was 10 at the time of the incident, leapt into the water in Wigan, Greater Manchester, after his eight-year-old stepsister Bethany got into difficulties on 3 May.

Anglers managed to pull Bethany out but Jordon slipped from view before they could get to him.

The alarm was raised and the PCSOs arrived on the scene. Police said they could see no sign of Jordon in the water, so instead of jumping in an attempting to save the drowning boy, they radioed 'trained' officers for help.

The PCSOs did not try to rescue Jordon and they did not give evidence at the inquest held by deputy West Manchester coroner Alan Walsh.

In a statement after the hearing, Det Ch Insp Phil Owen, of Wigan CID, who led the investigation into Jordon's death, said: "PCSOs are not trained to deal with major incidents such as this."