Hero police officers saved the life of woman who had been hit by a train in Yorkshire

PCs Christopher Bell, Carl Holden, Tanveer Akhtar and Ben Hawley will receive a top bravery and life-saving honour from the Royal Humane Society (RHS) for the parts they played in saving a woman who was trapped under a train last year.

The quartet raced to the packed railway platform full of communters - some of whom had watched the horrifying ordeal unfold - and climbed down on to the tracks before giving first aid to the woman, who was trapped beneath the train.

PC Holden climbed beneath the train and applied tourniquets to the woman’s legs, while the three others made their way underneath the train to give her first aid for a serious head injury.

Firefighters from South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue Service then arrived at the scene on August 12, 2024, to pull the woman from under the train before she was taken to hospital.

NHS surgeons who treated the woman contacted police to say that without the intervention of our officers, the woman's life "would have been lost".

The four officers have since been awarded Royal Humane Society Testimonials on Parchment for saving the woman’s life.

Doncaster District Commander Chief Superintendent Pete Thorp, of South Yorkshire Police, said: "These four officers showed incredible bravery and aptitude in a horrific and challenging situation to ultimately save this woman's life.

"The fundamental role of police officers is to protect and preserve life and that is exactly what they did, and I am so pleased they are being recognised by the Royal Humane Society for their efforts on that day.

"Every day, officers across the force face demanding, harrowing and traumatic situations as part of their day-to-day roles.

"We don't always get to share details of these incidents and the incredible roles played by our officers in keeping the public safe so it's great that we're able to recognise these officers' actions and achievements and that they are getting the recognition they deserve."

Andrew Chapman, secretary of the RHS, said: “The police did a brilliant job. Despite the obvious risks attached to getting under a functioning train they realised that the woman needed immediate attention if she was to survive.

"Ignoring any danger to themselves the four officers all went under the train and succeeded in their fight to save her.

“If they had not acted as they did, it is very doubtful that she would have survived. They were true life-saving heroes and richly deserve the awards they are to receive.”