Off-duty policeman and his wife recognised with bravery award

An off-duty policeman who tackled a man armed with a machete in a shopping centre car park is among 47 people honoured with a bravery and heroism award.

PC Mark McDade was with his wife, Lorraine, when he spotted a man with a machete and metal pole while they were in a shopping centre car park in Coatbridge in April 2016.

He told his wife to call the police while he tried to talk to the man and asked him to drop his weapons.

But the man became more aggressive and when he began to pick up his weapons again PC McDade tackled him to the ground.

Mrs McDade, who was also given a Brave@Heart Award, helped by lifting the weapons away and helped to restrain the man until the police arrived.

The honours recognise acts of bravery and heroism by emergency and voluntary sector workers as well as members of the public.

Six of the winners at the ceremony were also presented with the St Andrew’s Award for exceptional acts of bravery.

One of those awards went to Ryan Quinn, who helped following a Rangers supporters bus crash in October 2016 which left one person dead.

He and St Andrew’s First Aid colleagues came across the bus lying on its side on a grass verge as they were travelling to provide cover at the Kilmarnock v Aberdeen match.

Mr Quinn and colleagues began to triage and treat casualties before and after the emergency services arrived on scene.

The awards were presented by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon at an event at Edinburgh Castle yesterday.