BRAVE bobby Paul Winning this week received top awards for his courage.

The 45 year-old constable was presented with the Chief Constable's Commendation and Royale Humane Society Award for rescuing a woman from the canal at Leigh.

And afterwards his wife, Elaine, said after watching the ceremony: "I'm so proud of my Paul - he's my hero."

Constable Winning was on duty in Leigh town centre early one September morning when he discovered a woman was in the canal.

He entered the water and swam out to the middle. He managed to pull the woman to the canal bank where another officer helped him get her out of the water.

The woman was later detained in hospital under the Mental Health Act.

On Monday Chief Constable David Wilmot and Mayor and Mayoress Cllr Sam and Mrs Nancy Little presented the awards at Wigan Town Hall.

And a Miner's Lamp - the Wigan Metropolitan Borough Trophy - was presented by Mr Wilmot to Constable Dermot Mitchell who for five years has served the Shakerley and Tyldesley areas.

Paying tribute to the two officers, Leigh sub-divisional commander Supt Malcolm Howells said: "They have both shown true professionalism in carrying out their duties on the front line of policing."

Paul is pictured with wife, Elaine.

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