PC who saved women hit by car up for bravery award

The firearms officer will be accompanied to the awards in London by his wife and two children

A police officer has been nominated for a national bravery award for rescuing two women who were trapped underneath a car that reversed into them in a pub car park.

PC Glenn Brabham, 42, did not know whether the elderly women were alive when he arrived at the Dovecote Pub in West Bromwich last October.

He crawled under the unstable Vauxhall Insignia and spent time talking to and reassuring them before moving them to safety.

"It feels surreal for me that my work will be recognised on a national level,” he said. “I’m absolutely over the moon."

PC Brabham, a firearms officer, described how the vehicle was blocked on three sides, making it difficult to remove the women, aged 81 and 76.

The fire service lifted it carefully while he squeezed under it and spent several minutes ascertaining the pair's condition before pulling them to safety.

The women were taken to hospital by ambulance with serious injuries but have both since been discharged and are recovering, PC Brabham said.

He added: "At their age, to survive is incredible really. The injuries they received were pretty horrific. I was extremely worried about them both."

He said his actions were "just down to instinct".

"My first reaction would be to help anyone in such a dangerous situation, not least the elderly," he added.

"I thought about my wife’s nans, and the fact that the two women would probably be grandmothers themselves."

PC Brabham's rescue took place in the Dovecote Pub car park in West Bromwich on 15 October

The officer won a West Midlands Police Federation Bravery Award for the Sandwell area in January and was also named overall winner at the West Midlands Police Bravery Awards.

Now his rescue will go up against other outstanding acts from across the country at the National Police Bravery Awards in July.

Ch Supt Sarah Burton from West Midlands Police said she was proud his courage and bravery had been recognised.

"Without hesitation he put himself in danger to save the lives of two members of the public trapped and motionless underneath the vehicle," she added.