Two officers who saved a child from drowning in an ice-covered Greenwich lake are up for a police bravery award.

PC Emma Benet was still a probationary officers on her basic training when she saw a boy aged about 12 standing on the ice of a pond in Sutcliffe Park on January 23.

The boy was trying to save a dog from the water but before PC Benet was able to warn him of the dangers, he fell straight through the ice and immediately started calling for help.

PC Benet wasn’t on duty and was just out walking her dogs, but she told her partner to call for backup and she climbed out over the ice to help him out.

The boy was too frozen to move and couldn’t grab the stick PC Benet was using to try haul him out so she climbed out onto the ice even further.

When she grabbed his hand though, the ice cracked beneath her and she plunged into the freezing water alongside the boy.

She couldn’t reach the bottom of the lake and climbing out was impossible, so PC Benet started to crack the ice with her bare hands to create a path to land so she and the boy could escape.

At this point PC Marcus Sinkinson arrived as back up, took off his equipment and jumped into the water to save the pair.

The officer had to swim to reach the boy and, placing him over his shoulder, swam him back to the bank.

Meanwhile PC Benet had been pulled out of the water by her partner and the dog reached safety also.

The boy was taken to Lewisham Hospital and released later without injury. PC Sinkinson suffered minor burns to his arms from the ice, but remained on full duties.

Ken Marsh, Chair of the Metropolitan Police Federation, said: “PC Sinkinson and PC Benet showed immense bravery and determination, putting their lives at risk to rescue the boy.”