BRAVERY AWARD FOR HERO COP WHO TACKLED GUNMAN

A COURAGEOUS Nuneaton cop who wrestled a gun-toting man to the ground to save his colleagues has been given the nod for a national bravery award.

When faced with a man pointing a hand gun at him during a drugs sting, PC Lloyd Walton put his own safety at risk to ensure his fellow team members were not hurt.

His heroics have earned him a nomination for a national police bravery award - the first officer from Warwickshire Police Force to receive such an honour for some years.

As a result, the former Nuneaton central beat manager has been invited to a special afternoon tea with the Prime Minister Theresa May at 10 Downing Street on July 12.

It will be followed an awards ceremony at the Dorchester hotel where the national winner will be revealed.

But the now North Warwickshire area beat manager has taken the nomination in his stride - simply saying he did what he had to.

“I didn’t really think about it at the time,” he said. “I couldn’t move, I knew I had people behind me, so I just knew I had to get the gun.”

The drama unfolded during a planned drugs sting at a property in Princes Avenue in June 2016, when PC Walton was the first officer into the house.

He looked for the suspect and started climbing stairs to continue the search.

Halfway up, the 41-year-old was confronted by a barechested man standing at the top, pointing a firearm directly at him.

With other officers coming up behind PC Walton on the stairway, he had no room to back off down the stairs, so struck the armed man and managed to wrestle the firearm from him.

The brave bobby then managed to get the suspect on the ground, restrain and arrest him.

“PC Walton’s actions were selfless, as he responded to the threat to protect his colleagues,” said the National Police Federation, which is behind the award.

But PC Walton, who police the Nuneaton area for 18 years, said he was more pleased that everyone managed to escape the drama safe.

“The lads are over-themoon for me, ecstatic really,” he said.

It is not the first bravery award he has been given.

He has also received a Warwickshire Police Chief Constable commendation and three area commander commendations, partly for the part he played as the first officer on the scene during the football riot at the Granby pub in April 2013.

“My mum says you are brave if you do it once or twice, any more after that, then you are stupid,” he joked.

PC Lloyd’s selflessness extends out of the force. He has hosted charity football matches and boxing matches in aid of Georgie’s Gift, a charity set up in memory of Nuneaton tot Georgie Hall who died from meningitis aged 23 months.

In fact he has another coming up: “There is another boxing event in October,” he said.

“We raised a lot of money last time and we hope to do the same again.”