A police officer has described the moment he wrestled with a knife-wielding man in his kitchen who tried to slice his throat with the blade.
PC Matthew Chambers and PC Martin Clifton thought they were attending a simple recall to prison for an offender who had breached the conditions of his licence.
But they found themselves fighting to save his life and protect their own when he became uncontrollable at a house in Mansfield in May this year.
PC Chambers said he was forced to wrestle with the offender after he grabbed hold of two large kitchen knives from a drawer.
PC Clifton was then forced to fire his taser after attempting to pull the knives from his tight grip.
Both have now being awarded for their brave actions on that night at the Nottinghamshire Police Awards held at the city's Albert Hall on November 21.
PC Chambers said: "It was a night shift and we went to this address and managed to get inside the property. He knew what we were there for and we let him get a bag packed."
But when he was in the bedroom, he started to talk about killing himself, and then pushed past the officers and made his way into the kitchen.
"I followed him and he immediately went for the first drawer and pulled out two kitchen knives," PC Chambers recalled.
"I got on to his back and put one arm around his neck and the other arm was pulling the knives away.
"I thought he was going to put the knives on us - but he was trying to harm himself.
"I am not a big guy and I am not sure how I have pushed his arm away.
"He was bringing the knives towards his throat and I am trying to pull his neck away.
"It was a very hairy moment. How wrong it could have gone? We could have been stabbed or he could have stabbed himself.
"He was holding the knives with both hands and the blade was coming towards his throat and my head. It was the first knife incident I have been to."
PC Clifton, 38, said the incident took both officers "by surprise" and he used his taser, managing to take the knives off the suspect and arrest the man.
"He was so compliant to begin with," he added. "It was a dangerous situation.
"It was one of those things where you just act. You know what is expected of you the moment you join the job.
"You just feel responsible for people."
