TWO police officers will be given special awards for saving a man who they found unconscious in a ditch.

PC Rob Andrews and PC Deborah Gray from the Casualty Reduction Unit were returning to base at South Woodham Ferrers when they were flagged down by a member of the public in distress on Hawkswood Road, Ramsden Heath. The officers found Brian Hughes from Battlesbridge lying face down in a ditch by the side of the road at about 2.40pm on Monday, March 30.

PC Andrews and PC Gray gave Brian emergency CPR and called for another unit carrying a defibrillator to rush to the scene.

They stayed with him until the air ambulance arrived.

PC Andrews, PC Gray and members of Essex Police’s Armed Response Unit will receive the Chief Constable’s Commendation, as well as Resuscitation Certificates from the Royal Humane Society in three months’ time.

PC Andrews said: "Brian wasn’t breathing so there was no hanging around. We jumped out of the car and got straight to work.”

Brian has since made a full recovery and has recently met with the officers to thank them.

PC Gray said: "We administered CPR for about 15 minutes. Our Armed Response Unit arrived with a defibrillator and we worked together. We shocked Brian around four times before Helimed arrived, took over and rushed him to hospital”.

The Chief Constable’s Commendation, one of the highest accolades a Chief Constable can give, is awarded to officers in exceptional cases of bravery.

The officers were also thrilled to learn that they are to receive the Royal Humane Society’s Resuscitation Certificates, which are awarded to people who have effected a successful resuscitation of someone through either mouth-to-mouth resuscitation or heart-and-lung massage.

This award is not given to medically trained medical staff, and is signed by the Chairman and Secretary of the Society.

This was the first time PC Andrews had given CPR in a real-life emergency. He said: "It was a first for me and it felt like a lifetime while we were doing it. However, with the help of our armed response colleagues, as well as the member of public who waved us down, it was really fortunate timing with a fantastic outcome.

"The best part of the whole experience has been meeting Brian and seeing him look so fit and healthy.”

The officers hope Brian will be able to see them receive their awards.

Pc Gray added: "We’d like to invite Brian to the ceremony if we can, because I am sure he would like to meet our other colleagues that assisted.

"I feel incredibly proud and humbled to have even been considered for these awards, but I am just grateful that we were able to help and that Brian is back on his feet”.

Brian said: "I’m told that I was found in a very sorry state. I’m very very grateful to the officers, there’s no question about it”.

The officers will be presented with their certificates in the ceremony, in front of their families and friends, by Chief Constable Stephen Kavanagh on Friday, October 23.