TWO Suffolk policemen are to be honoured for their bravery at a glittering award ceremony.The brave policemen have been entered along with seventy two officers from forces across England and Wales in the 12th annual national Police Bravery Awards.

TWO Suffolk police officers are to be honoured for their bravery at a glittering award ceremony.

The brave policemen have been entered along with seventy two officers from forces across England and Wales in the 12th annual national Police Bravery Awards.

The glittering award ceremony will be attended by HRH Prince Charles, the Home Secretary and a host of celebrities and will take place on the evening of Thursday, July 12 at The Dorchester Hotel in London.

Eight regional winners will be announced during the evening, followed by an overall winner.

Suffolk has nominated two officers, Pc Jason Rice and Pc Sam Gilkes, who rescued a man from a burning car near Sudbury.

On the morning of Monday, November 6, a report was made that a man had left the road and driven up a grass verge, on Valley Road, Great Waldingfield.

The vehicle had crashed into a ditch and the engine had caught fire, with a man trapped in the vehicle.

Pc Rice and Pc Gilkes were on patrol about a mile away when asked to attend the incident, and travelled from opposite directions.

Pc Rice arrived first to find a man trapped inside the burning vehicle, he could not be freed from the car as the door was stuck and the seatbelt trapped.

He emptied a small fire extinguisher from the police vehicle on the flames, which did little to reduce them.

Pc Gilkes arrived while this was happening and also tried to reduce the flames with a fire extinguisher of his own.

A member of the public produced a hacksaw from his van and the two police officers were able to saw through the seatbelt and release the trapped man.

The two police officers then pulled the man out of the car and helped him across the field, a safe distance away from the burning car.

Pc Gilkes the issued immediate first aid to the man and cared for him for approximately five minutes until paramedics attended and took over first aid.

The man involved in the collision was then taken by helicopter to hospital, but suffered only minor injuries.

The police bravery awards were established 12 years ago to pay tribute to the unsung heroes of the police service and the gala evening honours officers who put themselves at risk of death or serious harm performing their duties.