TWO police officers have been honoured for trying to save the life of a victim of a car accident.

PC Adrian Rutter and PC Bill Dutton, of Darlington police, received letters of commendation from St John Ambulance at a ceremony yesterday.

The officers were called to the accident in Cleveland Street, Darlington, on February 14, after a Vauxhall Nova had collided with a post box, trapping the 21-year-old driver and passenger inside the wreckage.

The driver was unconscious, there was no trace of a pulse and he appeared to have stopped breathing. PC Dutton, 27, tried to wake him and leaned through the car window to give the driver the kiss of life.

When the driver showed signs of responding PC Rutter, 42, climbed on to the car bonnet to give him heart massage until the fire brigade arrived.

Both men were cut free from the wreckage but the driver later died in Darlington Memorial Hospital. The 20-year-old passenger was treated for multiple injuries.

Yesterday's presentation was made by the chairman of the St John Ambulance Council, Sheena Davies, and Darlington commander Chief Superintendent Michael Banks.