THERE has been a lot of publicity recently about risks taken by firefighters in their jobs.

They are often called to burning buildings which could put their lives in jeopardy.

But police face the extra hazard of often having to face, not only accidental risks but people who might be determined to kill them.

The recent tragic fatal stabbing of Detective Constable Steven Oake in Manchester highlighted the danger.

And it is right that the bravery of police officers should be brought to public attention to focus on otherwise unheralded acts of heroism.

We should all be grateful to people like the four officers - two men and two women - who yesterday collected the O'Donnell Trophy for arresting an armed and mentally-ill killer in Blackburn last year.

The trophy was launched in memory of Blackburn CID chief James O'Donnell who died after being shot while trying to arrest a man who had just shot his wife and another police officer in the Brewery Street siege in 1958.

It was revived yesterday after years of disuse to coincide with the opening of the area's new police headquarters at Whitebirk.

It's a mark of police modesty that the trophy was not awarded for years because the force did not believe anyone had been brave enough to earn it.

As the mother of the last year's murder victim said: "They put their lives on the line."