A NEWLY-QUALIFIED police officer who risked his life when a suicidal man threatened to open an aeroplane door mid-flight has been nominated for a bravery award.

PC Adam Tate and another passenger tackled 28-year-old former air steward Joseph Hemingway, who jeopardised the safety of the Boeing 737 which was heading for Newcastle Airport from Madeira.

He tried and failed to get into the plane's cockpit and then approached the cabin crew, showing them a letter addressed to his dead boyfriend - telling them he wanted to ‘join him’.

Hemingway made staff aware he was a former flight attendant, raising concerns he could succeed in opening the door because of his aviation knowledge.

PC Tate jumped from his seat and tackled Hemingway, wrestled him to the floor and restrained him for 40 minutes until the plane landed.

The man, who is HIV positive, tried to bite and spit at the officer and the other passengers.

PC Tate, an officer covering Newcastle and Gateshead with Northumbria Police, who was fresh out of training, has been nominated for this year's National Police Bravery Awards

Jim Gray, chairman of Northumbria Police Federation, said: “It is situations like these that remind us all that police officers are never 'off-duty' and are committed to protecting others, regardless of where that may be.

"Constable Tate is a fine representative of both Northumbria Police and of the police service as a whole.

“It is clear to me that the swift and brave actions of Constable Tate most probably prevented a mid-flight disaster from occurring.”

He will be among the nominees attending a reception at Downing Street and an evening awards ceremony at The Dorchester Hotel in London on Thursday July 14.

Hemingway was jailed for 18 months for acting in a manner likely to endanger an aircraft following the incident in August last year.

PC Tate was returning from a holiday in Madeira when the drama unfolded.

In October, Newcastle Crown Court heard Hemingway, of Heaton in Newcastle, had been drinking heavily and had taken a number of Valium tablets.

The prosecutor presenting the case said other passengers were ‘terrified’ and ‘scared for their lives’.

The captain decided to land with Hemmingway and those restraining him out of their seats, increasing the risk.

Jailing Hemingway, Judge Edward Bindloss said: “The terror instilled in the crew and passengers can only be imagined. Flying is stressful enough without this sort of incident being witnessed by those returning from their holidays.”