An off-duty police officer disarmed a man with a hammer and tackled another who claimed he was making explosives.

PC Eryn Towns stopped the hammer-wielding man by getting the weapon away from him before on-duty officers detained him.

In a separate incident, PC Towns tackled and detained another man wielding a knife and hammer who claimed he was making explosives and targeting police officers.

The young officer was one of a number of Sussex Police staff to be given bravery awards.

PC Towns had leapt into action while on his way to work for a night shift in October 2023.

After spotting the man with a hammer in Bersted Street, Bognor, he called 999 for backup and engaged with the man to get the weapon away from him.

Then in April this year, PC Towns and a colleague tackled and detained a man in East Street, Littlehampton.

The man had claimed to be making explosives and targeting police. He was found with a hammer, a knife and bleach.

L-R: Deputy Lieutenant Harry Goring, PC Joanna Hutchins, PC Teagen Cornell, Chief Inspector Will Keating-JonesFrom left: Deputy Lieutenant Harry Goring, PC Joanna Hutchins, PC Teagen Cornell, Chief Inspector Will Keating-Jones (Image: Sussex Police)

Several police officers were honoured for their work at the West Sussex Divisional Awards on September 30.

They included PCs Teagan Cornell and Joanna Hutchins, who gave life-saving CPR to a man while completing licensing checks at a pub in Bognor.

PC Shane Meech and member of the public Neil Boniface also received bravery awards after finding a man on a bridge in Harwood Road, Horsham, and stopping him from coming to harm.

L-R: Deputy Lieutenant Harry Goring, Neil Boniface, PC Shane Meech, Chief Inspector James DavidsonFrom left: Deputy Lieutenant Harry Goring, Neil Boniface, PC Shane Meech, Chief Inspector James Davidson (Image: Sussex Police)

 Chief Superintendent Stu Hale, Divisional Commander for West Sussex, said: “Every day, we see the hard work which is put into policing West Sussex by everyone on the division.

“The awards gives us an opportunity to say thank you and I am immensely proud of those who have shown that they have what it takes to make a difference, and they are a credit to our force.

“Our staff and officers face a number of challenges, which they overcome in order to achieve our priorities: to protect communities, catch criminals and deliver an outstanding service.

“I am honoured to help present the awards and be part of the day.”