FOUR policemen who disarmed a drug crazed gunman after he had terrorised shopkeepers in an armed robbery rampage are being to be honoured by the Chief Constable.

The brave officers overpowered Stuart Partington who raided four Bolton shops in less than seven hours.

Sgt Martin Bell, PC Karl Chandler and PC Frank Hall chased Partington into a cul-de-sac where he stopped and pointed the handgun at them. Sgt Bell was in the direct firing line just five metres away.

Partington then ran off again and as he climbed over a wall Sgt Bell hit him with his baton and forced him to drop the gun.

He scrambled over the wall and was chased by Sgt Jack Charnock and another officer who arrested him after a violent struggle. Partington was given four life sentences for burglary, eight years for rape and four for indecent assault.

During his one day reign of terror in November 1995 Partington placed a gun at a female assistant's forehead, handcuffed her and stole cash from the till.

In the second incident he threatened to shoot a female assistant and subjected her to violent sexual assaults. Then he went into another shop, put a gun against a female worker's head and held a knife to her throat. She was bound up and cash and other items were stolen.

In the last incident, Partington put the gun inside a female shop assistant's mouth, stole cash and violently beat the woman about the head with the gun.

The officers will all receive their commendations from Chief Constable David Wilmott and Mayor of Bolton Cllr Eric Johnson at Bolton town hall on Monday. More honours AT the same ceremony other Bolton officers and members of the public will receive awards.

Bolton man Ian Mather, aged 32, will receive a commendation for catching a mugger who snatched a woman's handbag. He caught and detained the mugger after a violent struggle. The offender got 12 months probation.

Sgt Paul Melnicenko and special constable Yvonne Nuttall will receive the Royal Humane Society's Testimonial on Parchment for stopping a mentally ill man jumping 30ft onto a railway line. The officers talked to him for more than two hours and eventually got close enough to drag him to safety.

Long service and good conduct awards go to: Ch Insp Ian Campbell, Ch Insp John Marshall, Insp Michael Chapman, Sgt Kenneth Lucas, PC Brian Garratt and PC Norman Stretton. The Long Service Certificate for Support Staff will be given to Denise McKay of the catering section.

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