A PARAMEDIC has gained two bravery awards for facing down a gunman and battling through a blazing home to save a trapped man.

Anthony Pearson, from Maidstone, was presented with his commendations at the Kent Ambulance Service Awards, in Gillingham.

Two other Maidstone paramedics, Mr Pearson's partners in the incidents, were also given commendations.

The first related to an incident on November 2 last year when Mr Pearson and Deborah Bishop, 39, attended a 999 call in Maidstone.

When they arrived they found a man suffering from depression and attempted to talk to him. It quickly became evident that he was in a state of despair.

The citation from chief ambulance officer Hayden Newton said: "In a moment of extreme agitation he reached beneath a pillow, pulled out a large revolver and pointed it directly at the head of Deborah Bishop who was within six inches of the end of the barrel.

"The patient then stated that the revolver was the answer to his problems and proceeded to alternate the gun between his own head and the heads of crew members."

Mr Pearson used his radio to alert the police to the situation and when they arrived the pair seized a chance to disarm the man. They found the gun was real but had been de-activated. They were both praised for actions "far and beyond the call of duty".

The second incident was on November 23 last year, when Mr Pearson and Adrian Hogan, 38, were called to a house fire in Eccles.

The blaze happened during the fire strike and the two paramedics were the first to the scene, arriving before the Green Goddesses.

A man was reported to be trapped inside a bedroom and Mr Pearson twice tried to enter the building but was driven back by heat and smoke.

On a third attempt, Mr Hogan reached the bedroom door but was again driven back by the heat. Eventually, the man was found behind the bedroom door and was brought out of the house by a Royal Navy team.

Mr Hogan and Mr Pearson were presented with awards for "putting their own safety at considerable risk in an attempt to save the young man's life."

A total of six paramedics were given commendations during the event.

One went to Philip De Bruyn, from Gillingham, who climbed into a burning BMW in an attempt to save the life of a 55-year-old woman who was trapped inside. He managed to get her out of the car, but the woman died in hospital two weeks later after suffering an infection.

Other award winners were:

Ambulance technician certificates: Deborah Bishop, of Maidstone; Lisa Brett, of Maidstone; Christine Land, of Maidstone; Christopher Thorne, of Maidstone; Rachel Bennetta, of Sittingbourne; Simon Trafford, of Sittingbourne.

Ambulance paramedic certificates: Victoria Culham, of Maidstone; Philip Eversfield, of Maidstone; Adam Ormrod, of Maidstone; and James Meredith, from Sittingbourne who works on the Isle of Sheppey.

Long service and good conduct awards: Stephen Blane, of Maidstone; Michael Cook, of Sittingbourne; David Horne, who lives in Sittingbourne and works on Sheppey.