A GROUP of friends who disarmed a knife-wielding attacker seen repeatedly stabbing a woman outside a Tilehurst pub have been awarded for their bravery.

They were enjoying an evening in The Victoria, Norcot Road, when they saw a man holding a large kitchen knife stab a woman multiple times.

They ran to her aid and pinned down the attacker using a bar stool, and kept him there until police arrived on March 17 last year.

The attacker was sentenced to 19 years in jail for attempted murder.

Keith Chapman, Rory Patton, Mark Cossey, David Bailey, all from Tilehurst and Daniel Howland from Mortimer were described as having "undoubtedly saving the victim's life" during a Thames Valley Police award ceremony in Manchester this week, where they were awarded silver medals.

Michael Ratten, from Andover, was commended at the same ceremony after facing a gunman during an attempted armed robbery in Burghfield Common on the same day.

The attacker stormed into a Tesco store threatening to kill the sales assistant, demanding money and ordering customers to leave the store.

Mr Ratten, a serving RAF officer, waited outside for the attacker to come out and rugby tackled him to the ground, when a "scuffle" broke out.

The 45-year-old over-powered the gunman and pulled off his balaclava and coat, which later provided DNA evidence and helped trace the offender.

He was sentenced to four-and-a-half years in jail and Mr Ratten earned a gold medal for his bravery - the highest accolade.

As medal winners, all six received a Police Public Bravery Award.

Meredydd Hughes, Honorary Secretary of the Public Bravery Awards this year, said: “Thankfully it’s still the case that, most of the time, we live in largely peaceful communities. Most of us will not become victims of crime, or even witness a crime happening.

“Sometimes though, criminals act. Violence springs seemingly from nowhere, out of context with our everyday lives. When these exceptional circumstances arise many of us will look on in horror, stupefied, willing it not to happen, hoping for someone to intervene.

“The people we celebrate stepped up to the mark and became that someone. They acted, in many cases spontaneously, to challenge that criminal, that act of violence, or even to save a life.

“The awards are the police service’s chance to salute what they did.”