A SOUTH Wiltshire man who was one of the first Metropolitan police officers to arrive at the scene of the horrendous Ladbroke Grove train disaster in London three years ago has been honoured.

PC Graham Sharpe, who lives in Firsdown, near Salisbury, was on the scene of the tragedy before ambulance and paramedics arrived.

PC Sharpe (52) was on duty at the nearby Notting Hill police station when news of the train crash came through.

From the moment he arrived at the crash scene, he was caught up in the rescue of those trapped and he comforted and treated those injured.

The crash happened when a Thames train service from Paddington to Bedwyn collided with a high-speed Great Western express en route from Cheltenham to Paddington.

A total of 31 people died and 500 were injured, many in the fire that erupted after the catastrophic impact.

PC Sharpe, who has served 13 years with the Met, has been awarded one of the highest commendations in the force, the Commissioner's Commendation, which has been presented to him by the Metropolitan Chief Commissioner Sir John Stevens at a ceremony at the Hendon Police College.

He is also to receive the Royal Humane Society's award for outstanding acts of bravery in saving life, which will be presented to him later this year.