A police marksman who was shot at during an armed siege is in line for a bravery award.

Graeme MacDonald and colleague John Marsland were showered with debris when shot at by a former soldier armed with seven rifles and a revolver. PC MacDonald, who lives in a Keighley village, and PC Marsland are with West Yorkshire Police's Armed Response unit at Wakefield. They are among four officers nominated by the force for the annual Jayne's Police Review national police bravery awards.

They were called to the incident, in Harehills, Leeds, in October 2005, after officers had been fired at by James Atkinson.

Police had been called to the home of Atkinson's former girlfriend when he refused to leave. Atkinson fired a number of shots at them as they fled for their lives.

The windscreen of a police van was shattered by rifle rounds as the driver sat inside. When PCs MacDonald and Marsland arrived they had to take cover behind a garden wall as Atkinson fired two shots at each of them. They were showered with debris from a branch just above their heads.

PC Marsland fired back, hitting Atkinson in the stomach after the round ricocheted off his hand. Atkinson eventually surrendered.

During the incident, Atkinson fired 56 rounds from a .44 Magnum Winchester rifle. He was jailed for eight years at Leeds Crown Court for firearms offences.

PC MacDonald will travel with the three other West Yorkshire officers to London for the awards night at the Dorchester Hotel on Thursday, July 12.

West Yorkshire Police Federation chairman Tom McGhie said: "These officers have been extremely brave and deserve to be in the running for this prestigious national honour."