“WE DIDN’T think, we just went in” – those are the words of the heroic police who risked his life to save a drunk man from a burning building.

When confronted with the flames, PC Warren Macklin and PC Guy Dempsey ran towards West View House, in Winchester, while everyone else was fleeing.

Now the pair have been honoured for their potentially life saving efforts, along with hostel worker Joanne Robson.

As previously reported, 65-year-old Anthony Mort was jailed last month after starting a fire in his hostel room at West View House while in a drunken state.

Mort had been stumbling around the city-centre hostel in his just his underwear on the afternoon of July 10, before returning to his room and setting bedding alight.

The 65-year-old, of no fixed abode, had to be dragged free from his room by Joanne Robson, a members of staff at the hostel, but when she was unable to get him to safety, officers Macklin and Dempsey went in to save him.

PC Macklin said: “Our main concern was anyone left in the building. I was shouting ‘if there’s anyone in here, get out’.”

The pair then spotted Mort lying motionless on the floor, before grabbing him by his arms and legs and dragging him outside.

PC Macklin added: “I have never had to do anything like that before. When we were told someone was inside we didn’t think, we just went in.

Following their brave efforts, PC Macklin, PC Dempsey and Ms Robson were honoured with Chief Constable Commendations at the Chief Constable’s Awards ceremony in Netley

PC Macklin said: “It’s really nice to be recognised because we get quite a lot of abuse in this job.”

There were also awards for Hampshire Constabulary firearms officer PC Martin Parker who save a man’s life when he tried to hang himself from a tree in Stockbridge last April.

PC Parker rushed to save the man, climbing a ladder to support the man’s 17-stone weight.

But when the ladder suddenly collapsed, PC Parker fortunately grabbed onto the tree, and as well as preventing himself from falling, he was still able to support the man 30ft off the ground.

A police spokesman confirmed the man survived the incident.

PC Parker’s heroics earned him a Chief Constable Congratulations, along with DC Karen Kerton and PC Trudi May whose complex investigation led to the successful conviction of prolific paedophile Timothy Bleach.

Over four decades, Bleach carried out 13 rapes and 127 offences of indecent assault and indecency with a child on 12 Hampshire schoolgirls.

Thanks to DC Kerton and PC May’s work, Bleach was sentenced to 20 years in prison in December 2016.

There were also Chief Constable Commendations for PC Jon Garland, PC Jack Alexander and PC Mark Allison, from Aldershot, and Chief Constable Congratulations for Special Constable Bruce Armstrong, from Basingstoke.

Chief Constable Olivia Pinkney, who presented the awards, said: “Every day our officers are working hard to make our communities safer and these examples show the lengths they are willing to go to in order to protect those they have promised to serve, often putting themselves in harm’s way without a second thought.

“From incredible displays of strength, to personal sacrifices to get the job done and running into danger when others are going in the opposite direction, it is clear these officers have gone above and beyond."

John Apter, chairman of Hampshire Police Federation, added: “Police officers never know what they will have to deal with when they come on duty and it appears from this award ceremony that acts of extreme bravery are all in a day’s work for those I am proud to represent.”

The following officers received Police Officer Long Service and Good Conduct Medals: Supt Steve Burridge, Cameron McMurchie, Inspector Rob Able, PC Thomas Light, PC Karen Lockyer,PC Andrew Hammans, Sgt Barry Long, PC Andrew Hewitt, Sgt Christopher Hills, Insp Andrew Proctor, PC Ian Turner, Supert Debbie Masson, and Emily Moor