A STUDENT and a police officer who stopped a man doused in petrol from setting himself alight will receive bravery awards tonight.

Deborah Cooper and Sergeant Neill Baker will be presented with the Royal Humane Society’s Certificate of Commendation after the incident at Bishop Auckland General Hospital, in July 2009.

Ms Cooper, 47, from Spennymoor, County Durham, was in a waiting room at the hospital when the man walked in and demanded to see a doctor about a serious skin complaint.

When he was told he could not have an appointment he left, returning ten minutes later, at about 3.40pm, with a can of petrol which he poured over himself.

Ms Cooper, who is studying health and social care at Bishop Auckland College, said: “All I saw was a flash of green out of the corner of my eye, I turned and he had poured the petrol over himself.

“I didn’t notice it at the time because I was focused on the can, but in his other hand he held a lighter.

“He kept saying he wanted someone to talk to and for someone to listen to him.

“I think he was very close to setting himself alight.”

While nurses helped dozens of patients out of the room, Ms Cooper stayed and tried to calm the man down. He was “pacing around like a caged animal”.

Ms Cooper, who was standing about a metre away from the man, said: “I was just there at the right time and place. I didn’t think about myself.

I never thought that if he set himself alight I’d go with him, everything was about stopping him.”

Sgt Baker, 42, who works in the town, arrived 15 minutes later and spent ten minutes convincing the man to hand over the can and lighter.

The man, from Shildon, was taken for treatment at a hospital in Darlington and later sectioned under the Mental Health Act.

Sgt Baker said: “I just did what I expect any other police officer to do. The main thing was to get everybody out and ensure he didn’t hurt himself.

“What Deborah did was much more important. I would never expect a member of public to do that. She deserves all the plaudits and accolades.

“It just goes to show people will try to help each other.”

The pair will receive their awards from Bishop Auckland Mayor Lesley Zair at 7pm, at the Four Clocks Centre, after Bishop Auckland Town Council’s meeting.