National award for brave officer
who saved three from house fire

Pc Aaron Horsfall was among officers from eight police forces to receive awards for acts of bravery.

The regional winners were chosen from among 53 officers who were nominated for the annual Police Bravery Awards, held last night in the City of London.

Pc Horsfall, of West Yorkshire Police, was on patrol in Bradford when he saw a car and house on fire. As he made a radio call for assistance, the car exploded and a man staggered out and fled. The officer broke down the back door of the house and went upstairs where he found two drunk men asleep. He managed to get them outside safely, where the men told him in broken English that a third person was in an attic bedroom in the house.

Pc Horsfall, who was later treated for carbon monoxide poisoning and smoke inhalation, then went back inside and the third man began attacking him. 
The officer managed to restrain the man and drag him out of the house.

Other winners include Pc David Williams and Sergeants Stuart Wells, Andrew Jackson and Darren Heyes from West Mercia who risked their lives to free a couple from a burning car.

They braved fierce flames and smoke as they battled to rescue the pair from the wreckage of a crash that left two other people dead.

Chairman of the Police Federation Paul McKeever said: “The sheer persistence of these officers in such deadly conditions is testimony to their professionalism and dedication to duty. Without their intervention, more lives would undoubtedly have been lost. They all put the safety of others before that of their own. Their actions were truly astounding.”

Nominees included Pc Paul Brackpool, from South Yorkshire, who was off-duty when he used his own car to shield traffic from a blazing car on a busy motorway as he ran towards the vehicle.

Pcs Daniel Hermann and Stephen Caulfield from Humberside were also nominated for rescuing a man from a burning car.

The awards have a particular resonance this year following the deaths of Pcs Fiona Bone and Nicola Hughes who were shot after attending what appeared to be a routine burglary call in Hattersley, Greater Manchester.

Off-duty Pc Ian Dibell from Essex Police also lost his life when he was gunned down as he went to help a neighbour who was being attacked.