Rachel Farmer
Newly-qualified PC Rachel Farmer risked her life when she wrestled with a drug-crazed man to stop him from setting fire to his ex-partner.
Rachel was the first to arrive at the scene outside the woman's home, where enraged John McPherson was trying to cover the woman with petrol while flicking a lighter. He was high on drugs and hadn't slept for four days. Before Rachel arrived he had already burnt the woman's arm, poured petrol round her house, and threatened to kill her.
Rachel, 24, of Cumbria Constabulary, says, "I tried to talk to him to calm him down but he started saying 'Do you want some too?' Then he started to flick the petrol and lighter towards me. So I ran over and grabbed him – that's when I got covered in petrol.
"I could feel it covering my shoulder and soaking into my uniform. I shouted at the woman to get inside her house." Rachel, who at 5ft 5ins is four inches shorter than McPherson, kept him restrained until a senior officer arrived to arrest him.
McPherson, 45, got six-and-a-half years for his offences and was jailed in May, while Rachel's bravery was praised by the judge during the court case. Chief Superintendent Kevin McGilloway says, "I am very proud of PC Farmer. She knew she was in danger but took positive action to minimise the risk to the victim."
GMTV Emergency Services Finalist
Arron Worbey
Off-duty policeman Arron Worbey was on sick leave and waiting for a knee operation when he found an unconscious, beaten up man lying in the street in a pool of blood with a gun by his side. Assuming the man had been shot, Arron, 28, gave first aid, stemming the blood flow from his head wounds. He also called the police control room to get help.
Apparently, the man had been involved in a shooting incident minutes earlier, before being beaten up by a gang. As a crowd gathered, a woman picked up the loaded gun and began pointing it at passers by. Seeing this, and with no regard for his own safety, Arron dived towards her. "It was instinctive," he says. "I couldn't risk members of the public being hurt. The woman was pointing the gun downwards and all I kept thinking was, 'Don't shoot my good knee'."
Thankfully, Arron, who is from Letchworth, Hertfordshire, managed to disarm her, and then continued treating the man as his colleagues arrived.
After treatment in hospital, the beaten man was found guilty of possession of a firearm and affray. He was jailed for six years. Heather Valentine, Assistant Chief Constable of Hertfordshire Constabulary says, "This was a particularly brave act. Arron, knowing the gun was loaded, risked his own life to protect the public. I'm proud to have him working on the force."
Garry Perkins
Aroutine house call for paramedic Garry Perkins ended with him tackling a dangerous gunman. Garry, 45, and crew mate John Akehurst, who is in his thirties, were dispatched to a house in Worthing, West Sussex, to help Ian Wilson, who has no legs and was claiming to have fallen.But on arrival, they found him in his wheelchair, demanding morphine. Suddenly, Wilson produced a black pistol, and pointed it at John.
"He didn't say a word, he just smiled," says Garry, who is from Portslade in Brighton. "I thought we were in big trouble. John froze and I shouted at him to run. "I then leapt on Wilson, grabbing one arm and kneeing the other so I could get a grip on the gun. It was my wedding anniversary and I kept thinking that I didn't want my wife Debbie or my two kids losing me."
After a violent struggle, Garry managed to disarm Wilson. When armed officers came to arrest Wilson, the weapons were discovered to be fake. At Chichester Crown Court, he was found guilty of possession of an imitation firearm and was jailed for four years. The judge commended Garry and awarded him £400.
David Dixon, Security Specialist for South East Coast Ambulance Service says, "Garry selflessly put himself at great risk to protect his crew mate and we applaud his bravery in doing so."
Robert Jones
With no concern for his own safety, Robert Jones leaped into the sea during a force seven gale to save a man from drowning.
The volunteer coastguard swam 200ft through treacherous waters to reach frantic Phil McWilliam. Robert, 46, dragged him to some nearby rocks and clung on with Phil for more than 45 minutes until the lifeboat arrived to bring them to safety.
"It was very cold and getting dark, and the waves were coming over us," says Robert. "All I was thinking about was making sure the man was kept warm and out of the water. He was shaking and being sick.
"By the time the boat came it was pitch black and the rock we were on was almost completely submerged." Phil, 24, and his friend, Craig Craven, 22, were dragged out to sea at Cemaes Bay, Anglesey. Craig was pulled out by an RAF helicopter as Robert and Phil clung to the rocks but, tragically, he died that night.
Robert, who works at nearby Wylfa nuclear power station as well as being constantly on call as a volunteer coastguard, insists he is not a hero. "I was just doing my job," he says. "Anyone in my position would have done the same." Operations manager for North Wales coastguard Jim Paton says, "The actions of coastguard officer Robert Jones displayed bravery and self-sacrifice in the face of great adversity."