A police officer has been hailed a hero after he stopped a suicidal man from setting fire to himself inside Rayleigh police station.

The quick-thinking police officer knocked a lighter out of the man's hand and managed to restrain him.

The drama unfolded after the 40-year-old man walked into Rayleigh police station at just after 10pm last night (Thursday).

He entered the front office in the High Road and told the woman receptionist he was doused in a flammable liquid and was going to set fire to himself. He clutched a suicide note and was flicking the switch of a lighter.

The receptionist called for help and with no thought for his own safety the police constable came out from behind the counter, wrestled the lighter out of the man's hands and managed to hold him down.

An ambulance was called and the man was taken to Southend Hospital suffering from minor burns caused by the flammable liquid which is believed to have been either petrol or lighter fluid.

Chief Insp Steve Bottrill, of Rayleigh police, was today (Friday) full of praise for the officer and was writing him a letter of appreciation.

Mr Bottrill said: "His prompt actions managed to stop this incident from escalating into a far more serious situation which could have endangered the lives of others. It was a really selfless act."

The 40-year-old man was today recovering in hospital.

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