Surrey Police help suicidal woman in Surrey, Canada

Ellie Benson, a contact centre operator, was monitoring police social media channels early on Christmas morning when she got a message.

A Surrey Police spokesman said: “It transpired the woman was contacting us from the west coast of Canada but Ellie remained in contact with her to keep her talking.

“In an amazing coincidence, we had PC Antoinette Rowe from Toronto Police, serving under the umbrella of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, on attachment with us as she was staying with Surrey Police operator and school friend Vanessa Reynolds. As Vanessa was working that morning, Antoinette came too to observe.”

PC Rowe called her Vancouver counterparts and police were able to find the woman alive before taking her to hospital.

Ellie said: “We get a number of messages from people who have mixed up Surrey, England with Surrey, Canada.

“I was trying to get information out of her in order to provide the help she needed. We spent half an hour trying to work things out.

“It helped that Vanessa Reynolds’ friend (PC Rowe) was in the contact centre at the time and was able to use her contacts to get information and we were able to work it out in the end and we were delighted to hear from an officer in Canada that they had been found and were being given the help they needed.

“It was a great Christmas coincidence and I’m delighted that it had a positive ending. It warmed the heart on Christmas morning.”