Three Thames Valley Police officers were nominated for a bravery award after 'saving the lives' of a woman and her children from an abusive and violent husband.

PCs David Icke, Emily Chapman and Nazia Hussain suffered severe injuries detaining the man in 2018, who had been planning to murder his wife.

They were nominated for recognition at the 2020 Police Bravery Awards, postponed until Tuesday due to the pandemic and hosted by the Police Federation.

“They saved the lives of this family, plain and simple,” said Thames Valley Police Federation Chair Craig O’Leary.

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On arriving at the scene around midnight, the trio heard horrifying, high-pitched children’s screams, according to the Police Federation.

They smashed their way into the house using a neighbour’s hammer and found a man punching his wife.

He turned on the officers who deployed PAVA, which is similar to pepper spray, and tasers, but these had little impact.

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Finally, they managed to bundle him to the ground.

The man later received a 16-year sentence, and it transpired he had been planning to drown his wife in the bath.

The winner of the 2020 Police Bravery Awards was PC Stuart Outten from the Metropolitan Police.

He suffered multiple stab wounds and skull fractures while stopping an attacker with a machete.

He suffered six deep wounds to his head, skull fractures, two wounds to his arm and multiple finger fractures but managed to subdue the offender with his taser.