Five police officers from Penzance have been recognised by Devon and Cornwall Police for their bravery and dedication.

PCs Beth Pascoe and Dan Lees received a Superintendent’s Certificate after responding to a brutal attack in the town in November 2015 in which a woman had been beaten.

When they arrived they were told the victim was safe but the offender was in the flat below, and found a man whose torso and arms were covered in blood.

They approached him without hesitation and arrested him on suspicion of assault and attempted murder.

The force said: "Both officers were calm and professional, their evidence was of an excellent calibre and resulted in the offender receiving 10 years imprisonment with an extended licence of four years and an indefinite restraining order."

PCs Amy Atkin and Jess Smith received a Superintendent’s Certificate for saving the life of an unconscious man found at the bottom of Causewayhead whilst surrounded by a violent group of people.

The pair had to deal with a large group of intoxicated and demanding family members, while using first aid to care for and monitor the man. After waiting for over an hour for the ambulance to arrive, a large amount of disorder and violence erupted around them, and they had to deal with a situation which included physically breaking up fighting men. Meanwhile PC Atkin realised the man had stopped breathing and immediately tilted his head back, he vomited but immediately began to breathe normally again.

The ofrce said: "As a result of the professionalism and calmness displayed by both officers, the man was kept in a stable condition until the ambulance arrived. PCs Atkin and Smith demonstrated first aid skills in an environment that cannot be simulated in training. Their actions kept the man alive during approximately two hours in the freezing cold. Both officers are young in service and PC Atkin was in her probation at the time of the incident. Despite this they performed admirably under pressure."

PC Alison Harvey won the Blitho Staff after being described in these terms: “If she was a stick of seaside rock you’d break her in half and it would say ‘Mission Driven’ all the way through the middle.”

The staff is presented to the Police Officer of the Year, who has demonstrated all round qualities with proven outcome for their work and who leads by example.

PC Harvey is the Neighbourhood Beat Manager for Penzance and works with the most vulnerable in a passionate and non-judgemental way.

She was commended by the force as having "the interpersonal skills that gain trust and she will go out of her way for every single person.

"PC Harvey has skills above and beyond her rank and leads change motivating and supporting her colleagues through challenging times.

"She is a fantastic role model and is not afraid to challenge and will not tolerate behaviour that falls below her high standards.