The UK’s bravest unsung heroes will be crowned winners at the annual Vodafone Life Savers Awards tonight, when they receive their trophies in front of a 300-strong star-studded audience.

The winners will also be given a hero’s welcome by the Prime Minister, when he hosts a special morning reception at Number 10 Downing Street the following day to congratulate them all.

Twenty men and women from the emergency services and the general public will receive their awards in recognition of their bravery after they saved the life of another in extraordinary circumstances - often putting their own life at risk in the process.

Amongst those to be honoured are:
- Two policemen from Sheffield who miraculously stopped two oncoming high-speed trains when their colleague was trapped in an overturned police car which had careered off the road onto a railway track.

- A tanker driver from Luton who saved his workmate when he was caught up in the Buncefield oil depot explosion last year.

- A 53-year-old grandmother from Buckinghamshire who saved the life of a man who was attempting suicide after suffering a major breakdown.

- An RNLI volunteer Crew from St Agnes who saved the lives of two surfers after they became trapped in a cave in treacherous sea conditions.

The Life Savers Awards were launched in April by Vodafone UK to uncover unsung heroes in our emergency services as well as members of the public who have saved a life in extraordinary circumstances. 

Vodafone has become an ambassador for the emergency services after creating Life Savers five years ago as a national tribute.  The Awards highlight how mobile phones have revolutionised the vital link between the public and the emergency services when minutes matter - now becoming an essential part of anyone’s first aid kit.

The National Life Savers to be honoured, who include members of the public as well as the emergency services, are:

PARAMEDIC BRIAN DWYER AND DR ANTHONY BLEETMAN
WARWICKSHIRE & NORTHAMPTONSHIRE AIR AMBULANCE, WARWICK & SOLIHULL
Saved the life of a woman involved in a serious car accident, carrying out emergency hospital-level surgery within the confines of a trapped car for more than an hour.

PC SAMUEL CLIFFORD AND PC NICHOLAS PARKER
SOUTH YORKSHIRE POLICE, SHEFFIELD
Saved the life of PC Emily Brearly, who lost control of her patrol car, landing up side down on a live railway line. With high-speed trains approaching in either direction, the PCs bravely put their own lives on the line to stop the trains and avert a major tragedy.

JANE McALISTER
GENERAL PUBLIC, WINCHESTER
Saved the life of a female diver who deflated her buoyancy device by mistake and fell like a stone to more than 100 feet. Risking her own life without going through the necessary decompression stages, Jane managed to dive down to the woman and pull her back to the surface, suffering the ‘bends’ as a result.

PC PHILLIP BARROW AND PC LYNNE DAVIES
SOUTH WALES POLICE, SWANSEA
Saved the life of a woman whose car got caught in a freak flood with her 18-month-old twins trapped inside.  With no thought for their own safety, PC Barrow and Davies waded out and managed to free the babies through a small gap in the window and to safety - literally seconds before the car became totally submerged.

PAUL COOKE
GENERAL PUBLIC, LUTON
Saved the life of his colleague who was trapped under his oil tanker when the Buncefield oil depot exploded earlier this year.

JON KER
GENERAL PUBLIC, CUMBRIA
Saved the life of a fellow climber after a horrendous accident on Ben Nevis, which killed their third friend and left Jim Martin seriously injured after falling 100 feet.  Despite being badly injured himself, Jon mustered up all his energy to find a route back up the mountain - with no safety equipment - to radio for help.

GAVIN FOREHEAD, RORY BUSHE AND JAMES WATKINS
RNLI, ST AGNES
Saved the life of two surfers after they became caught in treacherous conditions caused by a hurricane in the Atlantic, throwing them against jagged rocks and eventually dragging them into a cave. The crew’s exceptional handling skills and split second decisions allowed them to manoeuvre the boat into the cave and drag them all to safety.

DANIEL AND JASON RODD
GENERAL PUBLIC, IPSWICH (UNDER-16 WINNERS)
Saved the life of three family members from drowning after one had a serious asthma attack in the sea - they risked their lives to go back into the sea twice to make sure everyone got out alive.

MARTIN SPEER
GENERAL PUBLIC, NORTHERN IRELAND
Saved the life of his neighbour who was trapped in her burning house. With no thought for his own life he smashed the front door down and ran through the kitchen - where the fire started - twice to drag her out alive.

JUDITH STARKEY
GENERAL PUBLIC, CHESHAM
Saved the life of a man who had suffered a nervous breakdown and was attempting suicide.  Judith swam over 100 metres in freezing water to drag him to safety.

DAVE KENYON, DUNCAN TOUGH, DAVE SPAIN AND ANDY ELWOOD
‘C’ FLIGHT 22 SQUADRON, RAF VALLEY, ANGLESEY
Saved the lives of five seamen whose yacht was being battered by giant waves in the Irish Sea using exceptional flying and winching skills.