FIVE police officers are to be awarded top national bravery honours after risking their lives in a horror fire in Enniskillen just after Christmas 2015.

PSNI Sergeant Brian Balfour, and PCs Daniel Finnegan, Clive Hicks, Damien Maguire and Wayne Robinson, are to receive Royal Humane Society Testimonials on Parchment for going into the blazing house at Silverhill Park, Enniskillen on December 27, 2015 in a bid to find and save anyone in the building.

Sadly, they were all beaten back by the smoke and flames and the occupants, Franklin Reid, 70, and Daphne Reid, 66, both lost their lives.

Mrs. Reid died at the scene, while Mr. Reid died later in hospital.

First to arrive at the scene were Sgt Balfour and PCs Maguire and Robinson.

The house was already engulfed in flames but they believed people, possibly children, could be trapped inside and went into the blaze.

However, they were beaten back by the thick smoke.

Then PCs Finnegan and Hicks arrived and, together with Sgt Balfour, they also attempted to go into the building but were again beaten back by the dense smoke.

It was not until the fire service arrived that Mr. and Mrs. Reid were found and brought out.

In addition to the awards they are to receive, the five officers have also won the personal praise of Royal Humane Society secretary, Dick Wilkinson.

Speaking at the Society London headquarters as he announced the awards, Mr. Wilkinson said: “All five richly deserve the awards they are to receive. It takes enormous courage to go into a blazing building and any-one who does is putting their life on the line. They could be overcome by smoke and heat or there could be an explosion.

“These courageous officers didn’t hesitate to do their best though. All five of them went into the building, some of them crawling on their hands and knees. However, they were all beaten back by the conditions. They were tremendously brave though.”

No date has yet been fixed for presentation of the awards which have been made following a recommendation from the police, but it is expected to take place in the near future.