Heroic police officer who clung onto van teetering over motorway bridge near Leeds gives thanks for Pride of Britain nomination

A West Yorkshire Police officer has given his thanks to all those who nominated him for this year's Pride of Britain Awards.
PC Martin Willis was shortlisted at this year's Pride of Britain Awards.PC Martin Willis was shortlisted at this year's Pride of Britain Awards.
PC Martin Willis was shortlisted at this year's Pride of Britain Awards.

PC Martin Willis was shortlisted in the emergency services category for his heroic actions when he found a van teetering on the edge of a motorway bridge.

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The roads policing unit officer had been en route to a collision on the A1 near Wetherby last December when he came across a van that had left the road and overturned.

PC Martin Willis was shortlisted at this year's Pride of Britain Awards.PC Martin Willis was shortlisted at this year's Pride of Britain Awards.
PC Martin Willis was shortlisted at this year's Pride of Britain Awards.
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The driver, who had suffered serious leg injuries, was trapped inside the van as it hung off the motorway bridge over the A64 link road.

PC Willis gave reassurance to the driver but also provided some counter balance to the van by using his own body weight to hold the vehicle.

At the time, it was icy on the roads and PC Willis put himself in the line of danger if vehicles slipping on the ice crashed into the van and himself.

He bravely held the van until the fire service arrived to secure the vehicle and rescue the driver.

The heroic actions of PC Martin Willis were captured on motorway cameras.The heroic actions of PC Martin Willis were captured on motorway cameras.
The heroic actions of PC Martin Willis were captured on motorway cameras.
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Speaking about his nomination, PC Martin Willis said: "I am extremely honoured and proud to have been nominated for the emergency services Pride of Britain aware 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."

West Midlands Fire service was named winner of the emergency services award on Monday night after its teams saved a driver impaled on a metal railing.