SECURITY officers have been rewarded for their outstanding bravery while working at The Oracle shopping centre.

Russell Tomkins, Derek Bowman, Surinder Singh and Chris Elton received a prestigious British Security Industry Association regional award this week.

In November 2015, the men were faced with an extremely violent and potentially life-threatening situation, but the quick-thinking approach of the entire team allowed them to calm the offender without any sustaining or inflicting any injuries.

Their exceptional judgement, communication skills and the professionalism were recognised by the attending police officers and the security team were commended by Thames Valley Police.

Russell Tomkins, duty manager at The Oracle, said: “It is an honour to receive this regional award from the British Security Industry Association for ‘Outstanding Act.’

“Shopper safety and security is our priority at The Oracle and we strive to ensure all our staff are fully prepared to handle any situation that may arise.

“It is fantastic to be recognised for the hard work and dedication of the whole team involved.”

The team will now be put forward to the national judging phase of the awards.

If they are successful in the second round of judging, they will be invited to attend the annual lunch on July 12, where they will be presented with the national award.