A HEROIC trainee police officer rescued a woman after she walked out into a live lane of the M66.

Police were alerted to reports of an 18-year-old woman who had left a property in Ramsbottom in distress before heading towards the motorway at around 9.15pm on May 28.

A search was launched by patrols from Bury and North West Motorway Police in a bid to track the woman down.

However as this was ongoing, 24-year-old Charles Tattersall, an off-duty trainee officer, spotted the woman walking northbound on the southbound carriageway near to junction one, as he travelled down the M66.

The quick thinking officer immediately reacted and stopped his car, escorting her to his vehicle, before taking her off the motorway and returning her to safely to her home where she received treatment from paramedics.

The woman was later taken to Fairfield Hospital for further assessment.

PC Tattersall said: "I was travelling back to Manchester on the M66 whilst off-duty with my partner who is also a Police Officer with West Yorkshire Police,  when I saw the young lady on the hard shoulder looking upset.

"I pulled over, and saw that she had now walked in to the live lane of the motorway.

"I took hold of her and pulled her back to the safety of the hard shoulder as a number of vehicles had to swerve to avoid hitting her.

"I spoke to her, and attempted to persuade her to come with us in our car, she was reluctant but my partner managed to persuade her and once we got her in our car we drove her back to her home address where she was treated by the ambulance and taken to hospital."

PC Tattersall and his partner's action's have since been praised by his colleagues at GMP Bury.

Inspector Mike Brennan from Bury Police Station said: "Despite the obvious risk to himself on a busy motorway, PC Tattersall placed the safety of the female above that of his own, and his prompt actions and that of his partner almost certainly saved her life.

"I’ve no doubt that PC Tattersall’s bravery and quick thinking will stand him in good stead during his new career."