A WATER engineer who gave emergency first aid at the roadside after stopping to help a stricken motorist has been nominated for a national customer service award.

Katy Singleton, from Bootle, in West Cumbria and works for water company United Utilities, was first on the scene when 67-year-old Jim Loxham collapsed behind the wheel on a remote road near Ulpha in February.

Although Jim, a respected climber, fell runner and British Mountain Guide from Coniston, tragically died at the scene, the care, compassion and practical support Katy gave was singled out by his widow Liz for personal praise, and the two have remained in regular contact ever since.

Katy’s story was hand-picked by judges after being nominated for a special award in The WOW! Awards, which give customers the chance to commend any worker from any company for good service.

Katy, aged 38, is one of four people shortlisted for the accolade at a gala awards ceremony in London on November 24. She’s up against Dr Gianna Bouchard of Anglia Ruskin University, Carrie-Ann Watts of Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, and Debbie Newman of Medway NHS Foundation Trust.

“I was coming down from one of our reservoirs at Seathwaite Tarn when I saw a woman next to a car who obviously needed help. Her husband had collapsed at the wheel. We are all first aid trained in our team so I started first aid until a first responder arrived and remainedwith Liz until incident was over. Seven days later one of my colleagues, who’s a friend of the family, said Liz was trying to track me down. I went to drop a card off and stopped for a coffee and met some of the family and we’ve been in contact ever since,” she said.

Liz said Jim’s death had been a total shock, especially as he had been extremely fit and active his whole life. Jim had been taking photos for a new Fell and Rock Climbing Club guide book for the Duddon Valley, which he had spent 12 years helping to write.

“That day we had gone up the Duddon Valley and Jim had gone up to a crag. He’d walked from the road and took photos for the guide book. As we were driving down the valley to the next crag he collapsed at the wheel. It was a total shock. Katy was the first person who came along. She gave me such a lot of care and support. I felt she deserved some recognition for what she did for me that day and has done since,” Liz said.

More than 300 people from across Lancashire, Yorkshire, Scotland and the Lakes attended Jim’s funeral in Barrow. As well as being very well known in the climbing, sailing and running community, the couple had previously run a B&B in Ennerdale for 19 years after Jim started work as a National Trust warden. In 1997 Jim became property manager for Coniston and Little Langdale, eventually retiring from the trust after a career spanning 32 years. The couple had two grown-up sons Pete and Andy. Their fifth grandchild was born just a month before Jim passed away.

Katy said she was humbled to have been nominated by Liz. “I only wish it was under better circumstances,” she said.

United Utilities is one of a growing number of organisations who also use The WOW! Awards to recognise and reward great customer service.

The company has also been nominated in other categories: The Leadership Award, Empowering our People: Best Organisation, and one of its Liverpool water engineers Dave McCrave is in line for Most Inspiring Front Liner in the private sector.