A local man who jumped into freezing water to help save a woman from drowning at West Quay in 2015 was yesterday awarded a Royal Humane Society medal for his bravery.
Wayne Butcher was nominated for the award by the New Zealand Police after assisting an police officer in the rescue of a woman who fell off the Ahuriri wharf late one night in September, 2015.
At the time of the incident Mr Butcher was working as a security guard for the Thirsty Whale and said he was quick to jump into the waters after he saw a police officer in the water holding the woman's head up.
At the time Mr Butcher said he thought the woman had sat down on the wharf and then tumbled into the water sometime between 11pm and midnight.
Quickly shedding a few layers of clothing Mr Butcher jumped in to help hold the woman's head up while emergency services on the wharf worked out how to get her out.