QUICK thinking community police have been honoured for saving lives when a knife-wielding teenager ran amok in a Walthamstow shopping centre.

Shoppers and staff in The Mall, Selbourne Walk, looked on in horror as the 18-year-old slit his throat with a seven inch hunter's knife and collapsed in a pool of blood after stabbing a pensioner in March last year.

Officers from the High Street Safer Neighbourhood Team (SNT) rushed to the scene and, with the help of a doctor, began to treat the teenager, while others dealt with the large crowd which had gathered.

It soon emerged that two other men with knife injuries had collapsed nearby.

Sgt Phil Steedman and PCSO Mark O'Neil found a 69-year-old man with blood-stained clothing slumped on a nearby bench and another man who had been stabbed. They managed to treat the men and gather vital evidence.

Sgt Steedman was presented with an award for his leadership in dealing with the attacks by borough commander Mark Benbow at a ceremony at Chigwell Police Sports Ground last Thursday.

Constable Keith Marriott, PCSO Paul Doe, PCSO Dennis Morgan, PCSO O'Neil, and PCSO Joy Wacha were given an award for courage and commitment to duty.

Inspector Mark Sullivan said: "The prompt, decisive and professional response of all officers involved in this incident no doubt saved lives and ensured a successful prosecution followed when the suspect had been identified and arrested."

The pensioner was airlifted to hospital but later discharged. The teenager was sectioned under the Mental health Act.