A police officer who roped himself to a colleague and plunged into fast flowing water to rescue a stranded motorist is among seven people who have been recognised for their bravery during the Easter floods.

PC Paul Fell from Rugby, tied load-bearing straps from a lorry around his waist and secured them to colleague PC David Morgan, who was awarded a Commendation, before wading out to rescue a Coventry man whose vehicle had been swept away, leaving him clinging to a hedge submerged to his neck in water.

The current was so strong that a 14-year-old passenger was swept away with the stranded vehicle and died. The driver Vincent Gallagher was later charged with causing death by dangerous driving in the incident which happened in Eathorpe in the early hours of April 10.

Mr Fell is awarded the Warwickshire Chief Constable's Highest Commendation along with PC's Michael Cass and Michael Smallwood from Stratford who rescued 30 people trapped in caravans at the Abbots Salford site.

Army officer cadets Peter Beaumont, Nicholas Lilley and Barry John who helped people to safety from caravans in Welford on Avon were also highly commended as was Mr David Webster who pulled two elderly woman from the sunroof of a car which was rapidly filling up with water.

Stratford officers John Harris, Neil Edkins, Peter Batacanin, Alison Colburn, Graham Beard, David Hopkins, Dale Packer and Adrian Langley were all commended by Warwickshire Chief Constable Peter Joslin.

He said:

"It is a credit that your considerable efforts were very much appreciated by travellers, local residents and children who were reunited with their parents."