Courageous residents who have tackled armed criminals and volunteer groups who help keep the county’s streets safer at night were among those honoured this week at the Surrey Police Local Heroes awards.

Winners of the community group award included the Epsom and Ewell Street Pastors and the Guildford Street Angels.

Both groups give up their time to venture out on to the streets to offer help and support and provide a calming presence on busy nights in the two towns.

Others included a brave Walton-on-Thames man who was stabbed in the leg while rugby-tackling an armed offender who had threatened a woman in an alleyway.

Also praised were three schoolchildren from Guildford who rescued their 11-year-old friend when she was left fully submerged in muddy water in a 12ft concealed well after the ground gave way.

Residents have been putting people and groups forward nominees for the awards since April – with nominations pouring in from across the county. The winners were due to receive their awards at a ceremony at Denbies Wine Estate, in Dorking.

The awards, now in their second year, are to thank those people who have made an outstanding contribution to their community.

The categories this year were the young people in the community award, good neighbour and community volunteer award, community cohesion award, community group award and the award for courage.

A sixth award for exceptional actions was selected by Chief Constable Mark Rowley following a review of all the nominations.

This winner’s identity was due to be revealed yesterday.

In the award for courage category, the nominees included a three mums from the Sunbury area who took on a local store who twice sold alcohol to their 13-year-old daughters, resulting in one of them needing hospital treatment.

Their crusade resulted in the store having its licence to sell alcohol revoked.

Chief Superintendent Rob Price, head of Surrey Police’s Citizen Focus, said: “We have been overwhelmed by the stories of courage and community spirit that have rung out from the nominations we have received.

“It has been a tough task for the panel picking winners this year as we had some fantastic nominations for some truly inspiring individuals.

These awards are a way of saying thank you to all of these active citizens who give up their time, and on occasion put themselves at risk, to help other people.”