Brave cop saves boys being swept away in flood waters in NSW

A hero cop will be recommended for a bravery award after risking his life to save two young boys clinging to a rope in the middle of rising floodwaters.

Two 11-year-olds were swept away in the swollen Lachlan River, near Condoblin, in the central west of NSW on Saturday as weather conditions continued to deteriorate.

They were carried about 60m downstream in the rushing current before managing to grab a hold of a rope tied to a log in the middle of the waterway.

The frightened boys held on for dear life as nearby caravan park campers called Triple-0 with police and SES crews arrived in just four minutes.

But the pair, exhausted from the fast-flowing waters, called out that they couldn’t hold on any longer, so Sergeant Joel Hunter bravely swam out to save them.

He was able to bring them both safely to the river bank where they were checked over by paramedics before an emotional reunion with their parents.

Central West Police District Chief Inspector Peter Atkins said the two boy were ‘very lucky’ to be alive.’

‘When you join a rescue team it’s not always a good outcome, and yesterday was one of those rare opportunities we had to rejoice,’ she said.

‘They could have ended up at the bottom of a weir downstream, they could have ended up miles away and nobody would have known where they were.’

Chief Inspector Peter Atkins, officer in charge of Orange Police Station, said he would recommend Sergeant Hunter for a bravery award.

‘I believe Sergeant Hunter’s actions were above and beyond what would normally be expected of an on-duty policeman,’ he said.

‘There was no hesitation from him to enter that water.’

The State Emergency Service told Daily Mail Australia it received 152 requests for assistance on Sunday with four rescues across the state.

The majority of calls over the past few days came from the Forbes area in the central west as a major deluge swamped the region.

But in the past 24 hours most calls for help came from Sydney with 58 requests for assistance as persistent rain does damage in low-lying areas.

Emergency services are now bracing for even more rain across the north of the state with a significant risk of flash flooding.

Severe weather warnings for heavy rainfall are in place for parts of Mid North Coast, Hunter, North West Slopes and Plains, Central West Slopes and Plains and Northern Tablelands Forecast Districts overnight.

‘A very humid, tropical air mass extends over northern NSW ahead of an upper trough over the west of the state,’ the Bureau of Meteorology said.

‘A trough lying through the inland north of the state is expected to develop into a low pressure centre this evening. Meanwhile, a coastal trough is expected to develop along the Mid North Coast.’

Flash flooding is forecast to continue moving east across the central west and north west slopes and plains later on Sunday night with 60-80mm of rain forecast, along with thunderstorms.

Southern parts of the Mid North Coast and northern parts of the Hunter overnight and into Monday morning can expect 80-120mm of rain with damaging wind gusts developing near the coast.

Cold, grey and rainy weather is also forecast for Sydneysiders for the next seven days.