Four police officers have received national bravery awards after saving the life of a woman who was critically injured after being struck by a train at Doncaster Station.

PCs Christopher Bell, Carl Holden, Tanveer Akhtar and Ben Hawley have been awarded Royal Humane Society Testimonials on Parchment for their life-saving actions during the incident, which occurred on 12 August 2024.

The officers were first to respond to the distressing emergency on a busy platform after the woman became trapped under a train. Without hesitation, they climbed onto the tracks with their first aid kits to begin emergency treatment.

PC Holden crawled underneath the train to apply tourniquets to the woman’s legs, while PCs Bell, Akhtar, and Hawley joined to support further first aid, treating a serious head injury as firefighters worked to free her.

NHS surgeons later credited the officers with saving the woman’s life, stating that without their immediate intervention, she would not have survived.

Police and Public Praise

Chief Superintendent Pete Thorp, Doncaster’s District Commander, praised the officers:

“These four officers showed incredible bravery and aptitude in a horrific and challenging situation. The fundamental role of police is to protect and preserve life — that’s exactly what they did.”

Andrew Chapman, Secretary of the Royal Humane Society, added:

“They realised the woman needed immediate attention and ignored all danger to themselves to save her life. They were true life-saving heroes.”

The Royal Humane Society is a British charity that honours exceptional acts of bravery in the saving of human life through formal awards and certificates.