A LOCAL police officer was shortlisted for a national award after an act of heroism last Christmas.

PC Martin Willis, known as Motorway Martin on Twitter, made it to a list of finalists in the Emergency Services category of the Pride of Britain awards.

The awards - in its 20th year - took place last night, but won't be aired on TV until next Tuesday, November 6.

The winner in PC Willis' category was announced as the West Midlands Fire service which saved a driver impaled on a metal railing.

PC Willis was nominated for also rescuing a driver.

The West Yorkshire Police Roads Policing Officer came across a van that had left the road and overturned, while on the way to a road traffic collision, last December.

The driver of the van was trapped and had serious leg injuries - the van itself was hanging over the motorway bridge above the A64 link road.

PC Willis gave reassurance to the driver while also providing some counter balance to the van with his own body weight to try stop the vehicle from toppling to the road below.

A police spokesperson said: "At the time, it was icy on the roads and PC Willis put himself in an exposed position with a potential for other vehicles to slip on the ice crashing into the van and himself.

"He held the van until the Fire Service arrived and secured the van and rescued the driver."

On his nomination, PC Willis said "I am extremely honoured and proud to have been nominated for the emergency services Pride of Britain award and to have made it through to the finals.

"I would like to say a huge thank you to the people that nominated me and to my family who have always been there for me and supported me in my profession."