THE bravery of local police officers and other heroes will be honoured at a special award ceremony next week. The Mayor of Bolton, Cllr Peter Finch and the Mayoress Rita Fairhurst, together with the Chief Constable, David Wilmot, will present awards to police officers, members of the special constabulary, support staff and the public for bravery and long service. The Chief Constable's Commendation will be presented to PC Adrian Ollerton for his bravery in arresting two men who had committed a robbery.

The officer from Golborne attended a robbery scene last year at a post office in Westhoughton where staff were threatened by two men armed with axes and CS gas canisters and then escaped.

Armed

He began searching a nearby park where he saw one of the offenders and arrested him after a brief struggle. As he continued his search he realised that someone was hiding in the undergrowth and despite knowing he might be armed, the brave PC entered the undergrowth and arrested him. Astley Bridge Detective Constable Michael Hudson, aged 49, will be awarded the Citation of Merit for his professionalism and dedication in carrying out a particularly complex investigation, after a man was viciously attacked by five men in his home in June.

The Chief Constable will also award his Commendation to two members of the public for the courage they displayed while detaining a violent man and the St John Ambulance Award to two women who performed first aid on a man with severe head injuries in October 1997 after he was attacked in the street. Andrea Pollard and Tracy Murphy, both from Bolton, will be given their awards on Tuesday at the Town Hall.

Fifteen officers from around Bolton will also be given Police Long Service and Good Conduct Medals, and two people will gain awards for long service in the Special Constabulary.

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