A policeman who rescued a ten-month-old baby from a burning house is to receive the Queen's Commendation for Bravery.

Eastbourne officer Bob Greenall will accept his award from the Lord Lieutenant of East Sussex at police headquarters in Lewes on Friday.

PC Greenall, from Little Common, Bexhill, was patrolling the streets of Eastbourne when he was called to a fire in a two-storey house in Langney last April.

He heard baby Antonia Carey screaming in terror and dashed through the burning house in Milfoil Drive to rescue her.

Thick smoke and intense heat from a burning mattress beat the 6ft 3in policeman out of the room where the infant was trapped.

PC Greenall crawled on his hands and knees and managed to carry her to safety.

Antonia needed treatment at Eastbourne District General Hospital after breathing in smoke but made a full recovery.

The fire had been started by Antonia's three-year-old brother Daniel, who built a bonfire of teddy bears in a bedroom and set it alight with matches.

Announcing the award, Home Secretary Jack Straw praised PC Greenall's exceptional courage and described him as a credit to the force.

PC Greenall's heroism has also gained him a Chief Constable's Commendation.

He said: "I happened to be the available officer at the time and did what had to be done.

"The award, while nice, can't replace the initial reward of the little girl surviving."

Two other PCs, Lee Perks and Nigel Price, who were called to the scene, were also honoured with certificates of merit following the incident.

Both went into the burning house after PC Greenall to make sure no one else was trapped.