THREE police community support officers from Malvern have been honoured for their quick-thinking and actions in preventing a woman from committing suicide by throwing herself onto the railway tracks.

CSOs Helen Carstairs, Lisa Hadley and Kevin Youds received commendations as West Mercia Police held its South Worcestershire divisional awards evening at Hindlip on Tuesday evening (June 22).

They were near Malvern Link railway station when British Rail staff called police with concerns about a woman on February 26 this year.

CSO Carstairs arrived first and saw the woman - who was known to have self-harm and suicidal tendencies - initially walk away from the area.

She then discovered from bystanders that the woman was not under the influence of intoxicants and, therefore was acting of her own accord - a crucial factor in determining what actions to take.

Shortly afterwards the woman climbed onto the railway bridge, saying she was going to kill herself by jumping on to the tracks below.

CSOs Hadley and Youds then arrived and took hold of the woman, dragging her back from the wall and detaining her until police officers arrived to take over.

Chf supt Jane Horwood, head of policing in South Worcestershire, paid tribute to the CSOs.

“There is no doubt that this woman was going to jump from the bridge and clearly intended to end her life,” she said. “The intervention of all three CSOs was above and beyond the expectations of their role. They are indeed a credit to the division and the force. Their acts were selfless and professional in extremely pressured and stressful circumstances.”