A POLICE officer and his dog who helped rescue an unconscious woman during the ‘Beast from the East’ snow storms have been honoured for their bravery at a national awards ceremony.

Emergency services were called out in March during the wintry conditions after reports of a missing woman.

Constable Alasdair Bell, alongside police dog Ted, helped find the woman in “a wooded area in the west of the county”.

That came after a decision was made that outdoor searches could not continue due to the weather conditions.

PC Bell, who is based at Fettes in Edinburgh, and PD Ted, a three-year-old German Shepherd, continued to search for a further four hours before finding the woman unconscious in the snow.

She had suffered from a cardiac arrest and hypothermia.

PC Bell performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for 30 minutes until the arrival of paramedics, who said the woman would not have survived without his efforts.

The woman, who was in her 30s, was later taken to hospital and made a steady recovery.

Last Thursday, the officer’s efforts were recognised at the Police Scotland Bravery and Meritorious Conduct Awards at the Scottish Police College, Tulliallan.

The officer said: “Given the extreme weather conditions, I knew it was imperative that the woman was found as quickly as possible.

“Ted and I continued to search and when we found the lady I managed to carry out CPR until the ambulance arrived.

“It’s an honour to receive this award but what Ted and I did is really just part of the job.”

Plummeting temperatures and freezing conditions during the storm led to schools and nurseries being closed, as well as travel chaos, with transport across the county and beyond grinding to a halt.

Chief Constable Iain Livingstone said: “These selfless acts of care, courage and professionalism include many instances where immense courage was shown in helping people at their time of greatest need, actions that were often life changing for all involved.

“I am privileged to lead an organisation that serves the public with officers and staff who go above and beyond the call of duty every day.”