A POLICE officer and his dog have received a second award for their role in saving an unconscious woman during the Beast from the East snow storm in March.

Constable Alasdair Bell and police dog Ted were awarded the title of Emergency Services Hero at a first aid awards event in Glasgow.

The award comes on the heels of the officer, who is based at Fettes, in Edinburgh, and Ted receiving an award for bravery at the Police Scotland Bravery and Meritorious Conduct Awards.

In March, Constable Bell was called out following a report of a missing woman. While initial enquiries were carried out, falling temperatures and a lack of visibility resulted in outdoor searching being suspended due to safety.

Constable Bell and Ted, however, commenced a four-hour search for the woman, battling extreme blizzards and freezing temperatures.

Having crossed fields, forest and a cemetery, they eventually located the woman, aged in her 30s, unconscious and not breathing, lying by a dyke in white-out conditions and suffering from hypothermia.

Having called for back-up and medical assistance, Constable Bell began to carry out cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), not stopping for 30 minutes, until support arrived at the location in “a wooded area in the west of the county”.

It was recognised that his efforts – as well as knowledge and delivery of CPR – resulted in not only saving the woman’s life but giving the surgical staff the best possible opportunity to enable a better recovery, as well as prevent life-threatening physical changes.

Constable Alasdair Bell collected the award and described four-legged German shepherd Ted as “a star”.

The officer said: “The weather conditions were so bad, the thought of the woman being out there was enough to keep myself and Ted searching for her.

“I could see she was in a bad way when we found her and I used my first aid skills to carry out CPR.

“I’m just happy that I was able to do something to help.”

Stuart Callison, chief executive of St Andrew’s First Aid, praised the duo, with the woman going on to make a steady recovery.

He said: “Constable Bell and Ted demonstrated the very highest values of both their role and of first aid. Without their determination, perseverance and skills, a vulnerable woman would have most certainly lost her life. They gave little thought to their own safety and as a result, brought about a positive outcome for someone else.”