A POLICEWOMAN who tackled a gunman in a busy hospital has been praised for her courage.

PC Karen Winter, 37, was officially commended by George Hedges, the Durham Chief Constable.

The PC, who is based at South Moor, in Stanley, County Durham, had attended the University Hospital of North Durham in February to investigate a drink-driving incident in Derwentside.

But within minutes she found herself staring down the barrel of a gun.

She was one of three officers conducting inquiries at the hospital when staff told them that a man was brandishing a handgun in the reception area of Accident and Emergency.

She found the man sitting in reception, passing a silver- coloured gun from hand to hand.

PC Winter told him to put down the weapon, but he refused. As she approached, the drunken man pointed the gun at her.

After a tense stand-off, he lowered the gun and PC Winter pounced, grabbing the barrel and disarming him.

An examination later showed that the weapon was an imitation .45 revolver. A holster containing imitation bullets was also recovered.

It also emerged that the gunman, who was from Sacriston, was receiving psychiatric treatment at the County Hospital, in Durham. After he was assessed by mental health experts, police decided to take no further action against him.

"I just had to assume the gun was real, but to be honest I never thought about my own safety," said PC Winter. "I told the man several times to put the weapon down before I had a chance to get it off him."

Her bravery was also praised by hospital bosses.

Isabel Kellie, acting chief executive of North Durham Health Care NHS Trust, said: "We were very grateful to PC Winter for dealing with this particular incident so well."

Other officers commended by the chief constable included Sergeant Sue Robinson, 32, of Spennymoor, for her part in tackling a firearms incident in May, when she was a constable at Peterlee.

She responded to reports of an armed, drunken man on the Shotton to Haswell road, shooting at traffic with an air rifle.

When she asked him to drop the weapon, he shot at the PC and hurled abuse.

She was forced to duck behind her police car for protection as the man threatened to "blow her head off".

When he stopped to avoid being knocked down by a passing car, the brave PC rushed him and used her CS spray.

Helped by a passing motorist, she disarmed the man, who also had a small knife on him. He was later jailed for two years.

The chief constable commended Detective Constables Dave Robson and Ian Davies of Easington police, for their part in the capture of a man who held up a corner shop in Murton at knifepoint.

PCs Louise Walton and Greg Dent, of Sacriston, were commended for their arrest of a 17-year-old youth armed with a knife and an air pistol.