Gwent Police officers and staff who have gone above and beyond to protect the people of the area have been recognised at the annual force award ceremony.

The awards also recognise members of the public who have committed acts bravery while protecting the lives of others.

Gwent police and crime commissioner Jane Mudd presented the Police and Crime Commissioner Partnership Award to community support officers Claire Montgomery-Brown and Mark Watts for their proactive work with trading standards to tackle the sale of illegal vapes.

On the back of the intelligence gathered by the officers, nearly £2 million worth of illegal vapes and tobacco were taken off the streets and several businesses selling illegal items were closed.

Jane Mudd said: “It was a real pleasure to be invited by the temporary chief constable to be part of this occasion and celebrate some fantastic police work that has saved lives and made our communities safer places to live.

“Police officers and staff work diligently under immense pressure and incredibly difficult circumstances to serve our communities, often at great personal risk, and it is right that we take the time to recognise this.

“It was also fantastic to be able to thank members of the public for some outstanding acts of bravery, and I would like to thank them for stepping up and helping others when they needed it most.”