A police officer and a police community support officer have been honoured after capturing two violent robbers in Ilkley.

PC Tim Brown and PCSO Andrew Turner-Blood were nominated for police awards for arresting the two youths in an incident in the town centre last December.

They were among several officers recognised at an awards ceremony for Airedale and North Bradford Police last week.

The Ilkley pair received special praise for the way they thwarted the robbers.

PC Brown initially spotted the two youths and decided to follow from a distance after becoming suspicious of them.

After watching them attack a member of the public the officer intervened and arrested one of the suspects, while the second fled.

PC Brown put out a description of the second robber, which was heard by PCSO Turner-Blood.

And during a patrol of the railway station the PCSO saw the youth and detained him there until the arrival of colleagues.

Both suspects were arrested for robbery and dealt with by the courts with one receiving a 32-month custodial sentence.

Other officers rewarded at the special ceremony included a detective who mounted a personal crusade to catch a sex offender who evaded justice for more than 20 years and a 14-year-old Kester Slingsby, from Keighley, who assisted police following a reported theft.

Chief Superintendent Ian Kennedy of Airedale and North Bradford Police, said: “As police officers we are rightly expected to set and perform at high standards but these awards are a welcome opportunity to recognise those who go that one level further to truly go beyond the call of duty.

“In several of these awards officers and staff have put themselves in potential danger to fight crime or save lives at risk and this sort of dedication is in the best traditions of policing.

“Also of note are the actions of a 14-year-old who showed a maturity far beyond his years to follow an alleged burglary suspect while directing police to the right location to help make an arrest.

“I hope all those who are awarded are rightly proud of their actions and it gives us pleasure to recognise them in this way.”