BRAVE bobby Sean Cunningham is to be honoured for his courage in dealing with armed robbers.

PC Cunningham, 29, was off duty when he popped into a Spar shop in Melville Street, Burnley, and was confronted by a man who was threatening staff with a baseball bat.

Mr Cunningham was also threatened but he managed to disarm the man after a brief struggle.

The robber ran from the shop but Mr Cunningham, still holding the baseball bat, chased after him and when he caught up tried to arrest him.

At that point, the man called for help from an accomplice who was in a nearby car.

The second man went towards the officer wielding an axe and demanded the robber's freedom.

Faced with no alternative, Mr Cunningham was forced to let both men escape but he circulated the car registration number and they were arrested shortly afterwards.

Both men were jailed for a total of 12 years when they appeared before Burnley Crown Court.

The citation will be presented on Wednesday (March 6) by Chief Constable Pauline Claire.

It says: "Commended for Bravery. The officer acted with courage and without thought for his own safety when he confronted and disarmed a man who was in the process of committing a serious offence."

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