Officers, police staff and members of the public from across Cornwall received awards for their bravery, investigative skills and hard work at a ceremony last week, with PCSO Sam Crowther from Falmouth picking up two awards for helping to save two lives.

Sam, along with Jess Ellsmore, Ricky Swan and Matthew Gourley - all volunteers with Cornwall Search and Rescue (CSR) - were presented with a Chief Superintendent's Good Citizenship Award. This was in recognition of an incident last December when police and the CSR team were involved in a large-scale search operation for a woman with a history of severe mental health issues.

She had left home wearing inappropriate clothing for the weather and was in possession of a large kitchen knife. The search went on throughout the day and into the night. In the early hours of the morning the CSR team dog handler, Jess, and her navigator, Ricky, found the woman lying by a grave in Swanpool Cemetery. She was barely conscious and had significant self-harm injuries and advanced hyperthermia, but was breathing. CRS casualty carer, Matthew, and casualty assistant, Sam, gave first-aid in a very inhospitable environment.

The commendation reads: "All four of the team were faced with this very traumatic and distressing scene but acted professionally and decisively to administer life-saving care. Medical professionals later confirmed that, had she not received this care, she would not have survived. The excellent tracking and first aid skills of this team saved this vulnerable woman’s life and spared her family a tragic loss. The woman has made a full recovery."

The four, three of them from Falmouth, were presented with their awards at the ceremony in Truro, where they were joined by search dogs Blitz and Izzy and team leader Jim Gallienne, who also received the Kernow Cup at the awards, in recognition of his work in steering the team for over ten years.

Sam then went on to win a Chief Superintendent’s Commendation for saving a motorist’s life earlier this year. He was off duty when he came across a serious traffic collision and took control.

His commendation reads: "It was dark so he used his vehicle to physically protect the casualty from significant oncoming danger. He then gave life-saving first aid to the driver who remained trapped in his vehicle with a compromised airway.

"He opened the casualty’s airway, which allowed him to breathe, and then stabilised his neck and spine until an ambulance arrived. Having identified himself as a PCSO, he continued to issue orders to bystanders, instructing them to control traffic and asking them to move vehicles to allow access to emergency services when they arrived.

"PCSO Crowther provided a clear briefing to the first single-crewed paramedic on the scene and remained in control of the casualty’s head and airway. Fire crews arrived and removed the roof of the vehicle while PCSO Crowther remained with the casualty who sustained serious injuries, but is now making a full recovery. PCSO Crowther’s prompt and decisive action while off-duty, no doubt saved the life of this driver."