TWO courageous police officers who risked their lives to save a 12-year-old boy and his stepfather from a burning house last year have been awarded the Queen?s Commendation for Bravery.

PC Simon Dell from Tavistock will receive the highly prestigious honour in a ceremony in the new year, along with colleague PC Jim Pollock who also played a key role in the daring rescue.

They will become the first ever police constables in Devon and Cornwall to be granted the esteemed accolade.

PC Dell, now based in Exeter, showed incredible courage on the evening of February 10, 2001, when he plucked young David Evans from the blazing building, before going back in for the boy?s stepfather David Fox.

?This award is a tremendous honour,? he said. ?I don?t feel worthy of being branded a hero because I was just doing my job. I don?t think I did anything that any of my colleagues wouldn?t have done in the same situation.?

Both constables were treated for smoke inhalation after the rescue, and PC Dell suffered burns to his hands and face as well as carbon monoxide poisoning.

The two officers had been on duty at Callington police station when members of the public reported a fire at a nearby building in Fore Street. PC Dell ran to the scene of the fire while his colleague alerted the fire services and collected equipment.

He arrived at the address to find a scorching blaze in the second storey front room. Standing outside was frantic Christine Fox, who told him her son was trapped inside.

Without a moment?s thought for his own safety, PC Dell attempted to enter the house. He was initially beaten back by the thick, noxious smoke, but as Mrs Fox became more distressed he tried again.

Once inside, he crawled up the stairs in pitch blackness, trying to stay as low to the floor as possible. He reached the first floor where he believed the boy was trapped, only to realize that he would have to continue up more steps.

?That was an extremely disheartening moment,? he recalled. ?I clearly remember pausing on the first floor landing, thinking that the child was there.

?But then I realized his screams were still coming from above me. I thought going on would be like going down a one-way street with no way back, but I knew I had no choice.?

He battled his way up another flight of stairs, passed the room containing the fire, and eventually found the boy, by now unconscious, by feeling around in the dark.

He put him over his shoulder and carried him to safety. But the danger was not over yet as Mrs Fox told him that her husband was also still inside.

By now PC Pollock had arrived with a torch, and both men entered the smoke-filled house. They fought their way through dense fumes and high temperatures, climbing two flights of steps to the room above the fire.

Here, PC Dell groped around in the darkness until he found the man?s unconscious body. ?I shouted to Jim that I had found the body,? he remembered.

?I thought he was dead. Between us we carried him down the stairs and out of danger, and once we were outside I realized he was alive.?

Within moments of leaving the building for the second time, the floor collapsed.

Following the rescue, Christine Fox, described both officers as ?one in a million?.

PC Pollock, who is still based at Callington, said he is honoured by the latest award, but was only carrying out his duty.

?When I heard about this I was very surprised and of course honoured,? he said.

?The incident itself was over in minutes and you don?t think about it at the time. It?s just one of those things that happens and I didn?t expect any recognition for what I did.?

Devon and Cornwall Chief Constable, Maria Wallis was full of praise for the fearless pair. She said: ?I am delighted that the brave actions of these officers has been recognised, and the award of the Queen?s Commendation for Bravery brings credit to them.?

Both men have been honoured before for their heroic act. In March this year they attended a glamorous, star-studded ceremony at the Hilton, where PC Dell received a Daily Mirror Pride of Britain award.

Four months later they were invited to meet Tony Blair at 10 Downing Street before accepting Police Federation/The Sun Police Bravery Awards at London?s Dorchester Hotel.

They also received the Chief Constable?s Commendation with Star, the highest bravery honour in the police force.

Fred Broughton, who was chairman of the Police Federation at the time, said: ?In rescuing the pair and undoubtedly saving their lives, Constables Dell and Pollock acted extremely courageously.

?They did so at great risk to their own safety and are a credit to the policing profession.?