GOING.. GOING.. GONG; EXCLUSIVE Cop loses medal.. twice.

Byline: By BRIAN ROBERTS 

HERO policeman Garry Gregory told yesterday how he was twice put up for a bravery award - only to see it cruelly snatched away both times.

He was recommended for the Queen's Gallantry Medal after he was injured tackling a gang trying to break into a car. But it was withdrawn on a technicality - because Garry had been protecting property, not lives.

Then the detective constable read on the Government's official Queen's Honours website that he had been awarded the Queen's Commendation for Bravery for helping nail the gang, who were later jailed for a total of 35 years. But after ringing to confirm it, Garry was told it had been a mistake.

Garry, 53, has won 20 commendations over 23 years and received his long service medal from Manchester Chief Constable Michael Todd, who was tragically found dead recently.

Garry said: "I'm angry and embarrassed and so are my bosses and my wife.

She was so delighted at thinking I was getting the Queen's Commendation for Bravery. When I heard about the technicality I was obviously upset."

But that was nothing compared to the shock he would get after reading about the second honour on the internet.

Garry, from Denholme, near Halifax, West Yorks, said: "The next day I rang the honours people to check if it was all correct and they said they were sure there had been no mistake.

"Then that night out of the blue I got a call from the Cabinet Office. They said 'We do apologise there has been a mistake. It was a simple case of human error'.

"I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I have nothing to recognise what I did."

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AWARD: With Todd Picture: TONY SPENCER