A FORMER police officer from Weymouth is being hailed the bravest of the brave after risking his life to save a woman in a night-time cliff-top drama.

Ray Cooke battled gale force winds on the edge of a 500-foot high cliff to get to the woman who was planning to jump.

He plucked her to safety after a nail-biting 45 minutes of negotiation when he thought the notoriously unstable cliffs would crumble beneath them.

Father-of-two Mr Cooke, 54, who is now retired and works as a station desk officer, has already received a Chief Constable's Commendation and a Royal Humane Society Award for his efforts on the cliffs at Swyre Head near Durdle Door in the early hours of Christmas Day.

It was announced today that he has been nominated by Dorset Police for the prestigious National Police Bravery Awards. Police forces around the country are invited to select a candidate for the awards who they feel has courageously gone above and beyond the call of duty. Nominations are made through the police federation.

A modest Mr Cooke said today: "This is a wonderful surprise. I didn't expect anything else and I was really only doing my job. It was a bit windy up there but we all got down safely and that's what matters."

Mr Cooke, who grew up in Weymouth, was a constable based at Wareham when he was alerted to Lulworth on Christmas Eve night 2003 after concern was raised for the safety of a 27-year-old woman who had gone missing from a hotel.

He learned that the woman, from London, was suffering from manic depression and had attempted suicide in the past. Conditions were so bad that the police helicopter which was scrambled to locate the woman had to return to base due to the appalling visibility.

Mr Cooke was supported in the search by an auxiliary coastguard team, one of whom - Jon Davey - received a Royal Humane Society Award and a Chief Coastguard's Commendation for his actions on the night.

The pair found the woman perched precariously close to the cliff edge at Swyre Head and had to edge their way down a treacherous slope in pitch black without safety harnesses to reach her.

They were able to build up a rapport with the woman and eventually persuaded her to return with them.

Clive Chamberlain, chairman of the Dorset Police Federation, said: "It is clear that Ray's actions helped to save the woman's life and we are all immensely proud of him.

"I am delighted that once again Dorset Police will feature strongly at the National Police Bravery Awards and I look forward to joining Ray and our Chief Constable Martin Baker in London for the ceremony in July."