TWO police officers who risked their lives rescuing a woman from her blazing home were honoured at a ceremony in Prestwich on Tuesday.

Police constables Matthew Litchfield and Ernest Walsh defied flames and dense smoke to rescue the trapped householder.

The two men will be among 11 officers who will be honoured by Chief Constable Michael Todd at a presentation ceremony at Greater Manchester Police's Sedgley Park Training School in Prestwich, on Tuesday.

PC Litchfield, aged 24, and PC Walsh, aged 47, are to receive Chief Constable citations of merit and Royal Humane Society awards.

The two Bolton-based officers rescued the woman when they were on patrol in the Prestolee area. They spotted a large crowd outside a terrace house in Alexandra Road shortly after 4am on Sunday, June 29, last year and spotted smoke and flames engulfing an upstairs bedroom.

Neighbours told them that a woman was inside and had attempted to escape but had been unable to unlock the front door.

The two officers forced their way into into the house and, as the citation says, "without regard for their own safety", climbed the staircase to reach the woman.

They struggled to see her in the smoke filled house but could hear her screams.

They carried the woman, who was barely conscious, out through the flames and smoke before she collapsed on the pavement outside.

The woman was treated at the Royal Bolton Hospital for smoke inhalation.

The two officers were recommended for the award by local fire Chief Sub Officer Peter Stephenson.

Today he praised their bravery adding: "If they had not done what they did on that day, who knows what could have happened."

The John Egerton Trophy -- awarded in memory of a 20-year-old officer killed on duty in a Farnworth factory yard in 1982 -- will be presented at the same ceremony to Stockport police officer Andrew Hallsworth who was repeatedly stabbed as he attempted to arrest a knife wielding thief. The officer struggled with the thief despite his injuries. The suspect then fled leaving the officer helpless on the ground.

But, despite suffering multiple injuries he was able to describe his attacker to colleagues.