Littlehampton Somerfield stab heroes honoured

EIGHT bystanders who went to the aid of a young woman during an horrific knife attack have more than their heroism in common.

As they were presented with Police Public Bravery Awards, each said that it was the 21-year-old victim, and not themselves, who deserved to be called a hero.

Lucy Yates, who had moved to the town just days before, was stabbed more than 20 times by schizophrenic Samuel Reid-Wentworth in

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Somerfield, Anchor Springs, Littlehampton, on September 16.

Life-savers

Lewes Crown Court was later told that she would almost certainly have died, if it had not been for the actions of staff and shoppers on the day.

Kirk Lord, a Somerfield security guard, supervisor Janet Sharrod, cashier Eric Standing, manager Duncan Todd, shoppers Bonnie Brown, Alexis Warne and Bob Apps, and trader Ivor Holland, who responded to a ShopWatch emergency call, were honoured at a ceremony held at Arun Civic Centre, Littlehampton, on Tuesday.

Alexis was shopping at the time, and said her limited first aid training had kicked in, when she saw the blood.

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"I saw that she needed help, so I went and helped. I went into overdrive, and did what I had to do," she said.

Click here to read how Kirk Lord and Janet Sharrod tackled Lucy's attacker.

Click here to read how Bonnie Brown pulled Lucy free.

Overdrive

"It wasn't until afterwards, when Lucy was taken away in the ambulance, that what had happened sunk in, and I just started shaking."

ShopWatch member Ivor, who was one of the first on the scene to administer first aid, agreed.

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"We are trained to deal with any situation. As soon as I heard the call come over the radio, I left, and did what had to be done.

"There is only one hero in the room today, and that is Lucy: she is the bravest person I have ever met."

Retired policeman Bob was commended for putting himself in the firing line, by telling the attacker to stop.

"I walked up behind him and said 'stand still, don't move and put your hands in the air', and he did, which I wasn't expecting."

"Never seen anything like it"

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Bob then walked in front of Reid-Wentworth, putting himself between him and Lucy.

"I was a policeman for 30 years, in Fittleworth, and I suppose it all come flooding back. Though I have never seen anything like that."

Lucy's dad, Hugh, was at the ceremony, and said the attack could have happened anywhere.

"That it happened in Littlehampton is not a black mark against the town. But that so many people came to my daughter's aid is testament to the town. It was a horrific thing to have happened, and I hope these people can get on with their lives.

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"We never thought she was going to die, we always knew that Lucy could get through this. We are so proud of her."

Outstanding bravery

The awards are part of a national scheme, which recognises outstanding incidents of public bravery, and Chief Constable of Sussex Martin Richards, who presented the awards, said that each of Tuesday's recipients thoroughly deserved the accolade.

"They may say that they did what anyone would have, but the fact is that some people don't do what they did.

"What people do on the spur of the moment is often different to what they would do as a result of a well-thought out decision. I am sure that these people didn't even know what they were doing. They all displayed outstanding bravery."

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Reid-Wentworth pleaded guilty to attempted murder in January, and was sent to Broadmoor indefinitely.

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