George Medal awarded to man who died saving MP from sword attack

A man who died saving a Liberal Democrat MP from a deranged man wielding a Samurai sword will today be posthumously awarded the highest civilian award for bravery, the George Medal.

A man who died saving a Liberal Democrat MP from a deranged man wielding a Samurai sword will today be posthumously awarded the highest civilian award for bravery, the George Medal.

Andrew Pennington, an assistant working for Nigel Jones, the MP for Cheltenham, was fatally wounded after being stabbed repeatedly in January last year.

Mr Jones, who still suffers flashbacks from the attack, said Mr Pennington was "the bravest man I have ever known. He saved my life".

The MP, who suffered severe cuts to his hands after grabbing the blade with both hands, wrote to the Prime Minister to ask for Mr Pennington's courage to be formally acknowledged. The Queen has taken a personal interest in the case and discussed Mr Pennington's actions during a recent social event at Buckingham Palace. The Queen asked to see Mr Jones' hands, which are scarred after the violent struggle, and expressed her sympathy.

Mr Pennington, 39, was recommended for a posthumous award for bravery by the judge who sent his killer, 50-year-old Robert Ashman, to a secure psychiatric hospital for treatment. The commendation is one of the highest civilian honours that can be awarded. It was bestowed on Lisa Potts, the nursery nurse who shielded children from a machete attack.

Mr Pennington was killed in the surprise attack in the Cheltenham constituency office which began when Mr Ashman, who had come to talk to the MP, drew a Samurai sword from beneath a full-length overcoat and raised it above his head, pointing it at Mr Jones' midriff. Mr Pennington called the receptionist to get help and told Mr Jones to escape as he restrained his attacker.

He died shortly after sustaining his injuries.

In another award today, the former jockey Ray Cochrane will receive the Queen's Commendation for Bravery for saving the life of a fellow jockey, Frankie Dettori, after a plane crash on the way to Goodwood race course.

Mr Cochrane helped the former champion jockey escape from the burning wreckage after he broke his leg when the light aircraft clipped a dyke on take-off from Newmarket and crashed. He was beaten back by an explosion and flames when he attempted to free the pilot.

Neil Roberts, a post office investigator who apprehended an armed postman whose home he was searching also receives the Commendation for Bravery. Mr Roberts managed to restrain the postman after he ran amok with a shotgun seriously injuring one of his colleagues and fatally wounding another during a violent struggle in 1998.

Mr Roberts grabbed the attacker after he had fired a shot at him.

He continued to wrestle with him at the top of a flight of stairs and pinned him to the ground after they fought their way down. The post office investigator then opened the front door and called for help, restraining the gunman until the police arrived.

Four men who tried to rescue an injured crewman after their helicopter crashed will be honoured with the Queen's Commendation for Bravery. They include Lieutenant Colonel Murray Whiteside, who grabbed the controls of the helicopter when the pilot was blinded by smoke and steered it away from a village.

The helicopter's engine blew up during a routine flight and three men were killed when it hit the ground.