POLICE officers who used a shopping trolley to trap and arrest a knife-wielding thug have been commended.

Eight officers responded to a report of a 20-year-old man threatening staff at the Co-operative store in Cedar Avenue, Kidsgrove, in May last year.

The man was demanding money and cigarettes while members of the public were also in the shop.

After failing to persuade the man to drop the knife, officers pushed a shopping trolley into the yob, pinning him to the wall before bravely snatching the blade from his grip.

Sgt Greg Ikins, from Newcastle police, was part of the operation.

He said: "It's only after those sorts of incidents you realise you could have got hurt.

"I remember the man seemed confused and you could tell he wasn't thinking straight.

"There was a handful of shoppers in there and we had to consider their safety along with the staff."

PC Richard Gater added: "He refused to drop the knife and even after using a trolley to trap him against the wall, an officer had to lean over and grab it from him."

The team, which also included a helpdesk worker, was honoured last night at Staffordshire Police's North Staffordshire Division commendation ceremony at Westwood Golf Club.

PC Richard White also received an award after orchestrating the arrest of three men.

In March 2008, the dog handler was off-duty and driving through Lower Milehouse when he spotted a camper van come to a halt because a gang of men were standing in the road.

The driver, a pensioner, got out and confronted the three men who started banging on the side of his vehicle.

When the men began to attack the motorist, PC White ran to his aid only to have a wooden bat waved in his face by one of the thugs.

He said: "I had the alsatian with me as I had been walking him, so I went back to get him and he managing to bring one of the men down.

"While this was going on I managed to call 999 on my phone and get back-up, so all the men were arrested.

"The man who had the bat is now in jail."

A team of five detective constables who used CCTV to jail two men following an armed robbery were also commended.

The two men were captured just days after using an imitation firearm to rob Bridge Street Antiques in Newcastle in August 2008.

The pair were spotted by the officers who had trawled the CCTV to identify them without their masks and wearing clothing found discarded with the weapon after the attack.

DC Karen Aspden, pictured left, of Newcastle CID, said: "We were aware this robbery had frightened people and we had to act promptly.

"I'm proud that the team has been commended."

Three police constables and a sergeant were commended for helping capture the ringleader of the notorious Crackley Republican Army.

The man was sent to jail for three-and-a-half years.

PC Stephen Chawner-Bowers said: "People were initially too scared to talk to us as they feared reprisals, but we assured them we were going to stick around and help them."

Divisional Commander, Chief Superintendent Jon Drake, handed out the awards.

He said: "It makes me very proud to see what the officers have achieved and the work that they do."

PC Stephen Cartlidge also received an award for his work in arresting a sex offender who had targeted Keele University students.