Thames Valley PC 'overwhelmed' with inspiration award

PC Tom Dorman received the inaugural award from federation chairman John Apter

A police officer who lost his leg in a car crash has won a national award for being a "real inspiration".

PC Tom Dorman asked members of the public to put a tourniquet on his leg to prevent him from bleeding to death after his vehicle was hit by a car in September last year.

The 27-year-old needed four operations and had his left leg amputated, before he returned to work months later.

The Police Federation said PC Dorman had "triumphed over adversity".

The officer tweeted he was "overwhelmed" to have been given the first ever "Inspiration in Policing" award.

PC Dorman said he managed to explain to someone "how to improvise a tourniquet"

Mark McIntyre, Thames Valley Police federation secretary, said PC Dorman had the "most genuine, can-do attitude" he had seen in his 27-year career.

"No seems not to be a word he understands. 'Why can't I do that?' seems to drive him on," he added.

"His determination to achieve his goals should be a lesson to us all."

PC Dorman is back at work on "restricted duties", but previously said he hoped to be on the frontline of policing "within a year" of the crash which happened in Maidenhead, Berkshire.

The Banbury resident has also took part in the Arctic One para-triathlon festival, which involved a 200m swim, 5km bike ride and a 1.5km run, in May.

Federation chairman John Apter said the award was about "celebrating and recognising acts of bravery" shown by officers across the country.