GOOD neighbour Ray Medwinter sprang into action when he noticed a woman living nearby was being targeted by a suspicious looking man.

What he did earned him a Hertfordshire Constabulary Award.

This is presented to members of the public who have performed meritorious and public-spirited action which was of great assistance to the police or the community.

It was in December when Mr Medwinter, along with some of his neighbours in Fairview Road, Stevenage helped to prevent an elderly and vulnerable woman become the victim of a burglary.

Neighbours, who kept a vigilant look out for the woman, had called police saying a strange man had gone into the address.

Officers arrived and found Mr Medwinter and another member of the public protecting the woman and preventing the man from leaving.

The attending officers said all the neighbours did a fantastic job in protecting a frail and vulnerable woman.

The man was arrested on suspicion of burglary and later identified as being wanted by the UK Border Agency Immigration Department since 2008 with a view to deportation.

Mr Medwinter received his award during a ceremony held at County Hall in Hertford.

A Royal Humane Society Award went to 32-year-old PC Irfan Hussain who lives in Stevenage.

He was one of the first officers on the scene in May last year when a man was covered in blood after attempting to take his own life.

PC Hussain gave effective first aid then accompanied the man as he was rushed to hospital where he regained consciousness within a few hours.

DC Lee Hill, who is 52 and based in Hitchin, was presented with a Chief Constable’s Commendation for a case concerning the theft of cash from two elderly vulnerable women by a professional carer in a position of trust.

In September 2009 a report was made to police about the theft of money from a 73-year-old terminally ill woman, being cared for at home.

DC Hill carried out extensive enquiries at the care agency and discovered a previously unreported crime carried out by the carer. Knowing that he had one victim who was terminally ill and another suffering from serious dementia DC Hill undertook a thorough investigation. The carer was eventually sentenced to four months imprisonment. Sadly, one of the victims died shortly before the trial began.