A Bradford police officer has told how he helped resuscitate a man who had collapsed during the London Olympics.

PC Neil Thornton , who works in the Bradford South district, was part of a unit in Stratford working at the Games when he saw a paramedic dealing with a casualty at the side of the road and offered to help give CPR.

“The man was wax white and he was not breathing,” PC Thornton said. “I gave CPR for about 30 seconds until the man gave a groan and then started moving.

“The man was then placed in an ambulance where he started to recover. His final words as I exited the ambulance were ‘cheers mate, cheers mate’.”

The officer is one of many from the district to share their experiences of the Olympics on a “hall of fame” on West Yorkshire Police’s website.

Insp Pete Tuff, of Eccleshill Neighbourhood Policing Team, revealed how his unit was asked to execute two search warrants for stolen trainers. “At one of the addresses not only did they find 150 pairs of trainers, but also some cannabis and an empty ATM machine,” he said.

“All in a day’s work for West Yorkshire officers.”