Blunkett bobbies stood by

On 21 September 2007, The Daily Mail reported thus:

"Blunkett's bobbies stood by as boy, 10, drowned trying to save his sister.

Two police support officers looked on as a boy of ten drowned because THEY HAD NOT BEEN TRAINED TO DEAL WITH SUCH AN EMERGENCY.

Jordon Lyon had jumped into a pond after his step-sister Bethany Ganderton, eight, got into difficulties while swimming. Emergency services were called and two police community support officers - nicknamed 'Blunkett's bobbies' - were the first on the scene on their bikes. But instead of wading in, THEY STOOD ON THE SIDE OF THE POND AND WAITED FOR TRAINED OFFICERS TO TURN UP!

When Sergeant Craig Lippitt, a regular police officer, arrived minutes later, he stripped off his body armour and jumped into the pond in Wigan. Jordon was pulled from the water but, despite attempts to resuscitate him, was pronouced dead in hospital...

Jordon's parents, Tracy and Anthony Ganderton, yesterday condemned the pair for failing to help in the crucial minutes in which their son's life could have been saved. At an inquest into Jordon's death, Mr Ganderton said: 'When we got there, the PCSOs just stood there watching!'

Jordon's parents are demanding to know why two community police officers didn't try to save him. 'I can't understand it. If I had been walking along and seen a child drowning I would have jumped in.'

Detective Chief Inspector Philip Owen of Greater Manchester Police told the inquest: 'PCSOs are not trained to the same extent as police officers, so wouldn't have been taught how to deal with a situation like this.'

But Mr Ganderton retorted: 'You don't have to be trained to jump in after a drowning child!' He and his wife are demanding to know why the PCSOs did not try to rescue Jordon the second they arrived on the scene, why the officers did not give evidence at the inquest and why their identities were concealed.

The inquest was told Jordon had gone to play in area of open land with his brothers Haydon, eight, Brandon, nine, his stepbrother Anthony, nine, and Bethany on the afternoon of May 3. Fishermen had seen the children collecting tadpoles at the edge of a pond.

Last week's inquest into Jordon's death in Wigan, Lancashire, heard that two police community support officers arrived at the scene before regular police officers arrived, but neither went into the water to try to save him. But moments later Bert Wright, 66, and John Collinson, 63, saw that Bethany had her arms around her stepbrother's neck and he was holding her up, even though his head was under the water. Both men waded in and managed to get hold of the girl, but Jordon had disappeared.

Mr Ganderton had been alerted and he and a friend raced to scene. After seeing the two PCSOs standing at the water's edge, they jumped in, to be joined moments later by Sergeant Lippitt.

In a statement issued after the inquest, Mr Owen said... 'IT WOULD HAVE BEEN INAPPROPRIATE FOR THE PCSOs, WHO ARE NOT TRAINED IN WATER RESCUE, TO ENTER THE POND!'...

There are 14,000 PCSOs who have the power to issue fines for anti-social behaviour, public disorder and motoring offences. THEY ARE CHEAPER TO TRAIN AND TO EMPLOY THAN REGULAR OFFICERS and were introduced by the then Home Secretary David Blunkett in 2002."

Dear little Jordon Lyon gave his life for his sister.

'He was holding her up, even though his head was under the water.' What a contrast in the character of that little boy and Blunkett's dreadful shower. What a contrast between his selfless sacrifice and the our-gang excuses made by Detective Chief Inspector Philip Owen of Greater Manchester Police.

"It would have been inappropriate for PCSOs, who are not trained in water rescue, to enter the pond."

IT WAS A POND, YOU GHASTLY TURD, NOT A STORM AT SEA! And this is what the PC Crowd are employing to protect us from evil these days? If this is typical, God help us all! I mean, what kind of creatures could stand aside and do nothing as a child drowns? As a RESCUABLE child drowns?

I'll tell you who could do that. Those whom a Tony Blair Home Secretary would employ to police us on the cheap could do that!

THEY are at war, not just with us, ladies and gentlemen. THEY are at war with our children as well!

Bethany and Jordon are pictured below: