Honour for Shropshire hero who saved child from dog

Charles Bonser, from Ironbridge, has been awarded for his selflessness and bravery by being give the Binney Medal at the Police Public Bravery Awards held in Harrogate, and is one of only 70 people in the UK with the medal.

On June 5 last year Mr Bonser, 48, was driving past a mother and her three-year-old daughter as they walked down Beech Road in Woodside, Telford.

A loose pitbull mastiff was circling the pair and Mr Bonser saw the danger and prevented the dog attacking the girl as it lunged for her, baring its teeth.

But his courageous act came at a price as Mr Bonser was attacked by the dog himself and was left with injuries after the dog went to bite his face.

He said: "It was terrifying, but all I could think is that I needed to stop the little girl getting attacked.

"I didn't think about myself at all. I had read the stories and knew what damage this dog could do to a child."

Mr Bonser, who lives on Hodge Bower, lost the use his hands for a time after the attack and even now he still has problems.

Because of his bravery Mr Bonser was given two awards at the awards ceremony.

He was awarded the Gold Medal for bravery as well as the rare and prestigious Binney Award.

The Binney Award recognises and remembers the sacrifice made by Naval officer, Captain Ralph Binney, who died in 1944, in London after he had had witnessed two ruthless and determined criminals carry out a smash-and-grab raid on a jewellery shop.

Captain Binney alone stepped forward in an attempt to stop the pair as they escaped in a car and was callously run down by the fleeing criminals.

Mr Bonser said: "I had put the incident behind me, but I was in Tesco and I got a call from the place saying I had been given the award.

"I am really humbled, it was overwhelming.

"It is great that the police have awarded people for doing good things, like myself.

"But above the award, the thing that hit me was when I got home after the attack and I had a thank you note pushed through the door which said 'my hero' in baby writing.

"I had tears in my eyes when I saw that."

The owner of the dog was traced and cautioned for having a dog dangerously out of control in a public place and the dog was put down.

• Star comment: Badge of honour for ‘my hero’