Two police officers who sprinted after a man wielding a 2ft-long machete have been official commended for their bravery.

Dramatic video shot by a witness shows the two plain clothes officers running after an offender during a half-mile foot chase.

Iryan Brown, 19, was arrested after the chase near Birmingham's Children's Hospital in September last year.

In July he was ordered to be detained indefinitely in a mental health facility after admitting possession of a lock knife and making threats with the machete.

"Come on, I'll chop you", Brown shouted at PCs Stuart Hill and Andy Carnall, who had pursued him from Printing House Street.


They attempted to incapacitate Brown with CS spray before wrestling him to the ground in Constitution Hill.

Sergeant Dominic Livesey praised the officers' courage, saying "they acted without hesitation for their own safety to arrest an armed and violent suspect".

"This was a scary, violent situation that could have ended very differently and with injury to members of the public, had the PCs not responded so bravely and brought the incident to a swift conclusion," he said.

PC Hill, who has worked for West Midlands Police for nine years, said: "We were in plain clothes on our way to recce an upcoming operation when the call came through about a man threatening people with a machete.

Image: Iryan Brown threatened police with the machete

"It was rush hour so the roads were very busy. We knew we had to get a grip of him quickly as there was a clear danger to the public.

"I'm just pleased we managed to get hold of him pretty quickly and no one was hurt."

49-year-old PC Carnall represents the force at cross-country running and entered the Police National Championships this year.

"I remember Brown looking over his shoulder at one stage and appearing shocked I was gaining on him," he said.

"That's when he turned and threatened to chop me with the machete.

"He was getting tired. I caught up with him and swept his legs away before handcuffing him."

As the officers were walking back to their police car PC Carnall says there were "quite a few people clapping us in the street and saying well done".

"It's nice to know the public appreciate our efforts to keep them safe."