Police officers from Comet country have been commended at an annual awards ceremony after helping a family escape a house fire and bringing two people to justice after a fatal motorway crash.

The ceremony was held at Hertfordshire Constabulary’s headquarters on Wednesday, February 26, to recognise long service and acts of bravery, with Vice Lord Lieutenant of Hertfordshire Richard Beazley presenting the accolades.

Detective inspector Amanda Bell who is based in Hitchin, was presented with a chief constable commendation for an investigation into the death of a lorry driver on the M1 in Hertfordshire in February 2010.

Two men were found guilty on May 10, 2013, of the manslaughter of the 35-year-old man who died, as well as fraud offences.

At the conclusion of the case, where the two men were sentenced to a combined total of 11 years in prison, Judge Bright commended the officers involved.

Police constables Joel Forrester and Nick Cane, both from Stevenage, were presented with combined chief constable’s commendations for bravery and Royal Humane Society certificates.

The pair responded to a call from the fire brigade reporting a house fire with a woman and a son trapped in an upstairs bedroom and were first on the scene.

Pc Forrester kicked the door open and with colleagues – including Pc Kane – they located the source of the fire and shut the door to stop the flames spreading.

Pc Forrester carried the woman out while Pc Kane and other officers led the boy downstairs and outside, in less than five minutes.

Fire and ambulance crews services arrived shortly afterwards to put out the fire and provide medical assistance to the officers and family involved.

Chris Miller from Stevenage was also given a Royal Humane Society certificate as a member of the public for his actions on January 5, 2013, after he witnessed a collision on the A505 towards Luton where a car had collided with a brick wall and a tree.

Mr Miller positioned amber lamps in the road – stored in his van – to warn motorists of the crash and was praised by police for his quick-thinking.