AN Army medic from Radcliffe has been recognised with a Queen’s Commendation for Valuable Service following an insurgent attack in Afghanistan earlier this year.

Lance Corporal Hannah Richardson responded to the situation calmly and professionally, ensuring those who were wounded got the treatment they needed.

A statement regarding her award said: “Her contribution directly improved the chances of survival of a number of injured personnel.

“She acted far beyond her experience and rank in very demanding circumstances.

“For her resourcefulness and control, she is eminently deserving of national recognition.”

LCpl Richardson is currently based at Fulwood Barracks in Preston with 3 Medical Regiment but in Afghanistan she was attached to the 2nd Battalion Yorkshire Regiment.

She said: “I am hugely honoured to receive the award, it really is a privilege.

“The award is so much more deserving to the teams that I had the privilege of working with out in Afghanistan.

“Without their trust and guidance I wouldn’t have been able to do my job the way I did.

“Afghanistan is still an active operating theatre and with that comes the risk of attacks.

“So much training and preparation is done prior to deploying, so while this situation was stressful, there is years of training behind me that has allowed me to deal with it in a professional way.

“You almost go into autopilot mode and it’s not until you get some time to yourself that you realise what you’ve done.”

Growing up, LCpl Richardson always knew she wanted to work in the forces, and participated in the Air Cadets in Radcliffe. She joined the Army six years ago.

She added: "So I often flipped between an RAF and Army career.

“I guess the Army won. The job of a medic appealed to me because I’d be able to be out on the front line while really helping to make a difference.

“I get to help people when they really need it and that’s really rewarding.

“Like anyone in healthcare, sometimes the self-reflection of a situation can be really crushing, and the burden of 'did I do enough?' can sit with you for a while.

“I’m lucky to have a really good support network around me and the Army have some really good processes in place to make sure that these are addressed.

“I’m incredibly thankful for my family and friends for their constant support."