Five police officers who battled in vain to save a murder victim subjected to three minutes of “extreme violence” are set to receive a top accolade from the UK’s premier national body for honouring bravery.

Next month the Sussex Police quintet will collect certificates of commendation from the Royal Humane Society at a special ceremony being staged at the force’s headquarters.

PCs Alan Fiest, Ben Harman, Anthony Oliver, Ollie Pullen and Special Constable Rebecca Field kept up their fight for the life of knife victim Anthony Williams for 45 minutes until paramedics pronounced he was dead.

The violent murder of the 23-year-old “shocked and horrified” the West Sussex community of Horsham.

The officers had responded to reports of a stabbing at Burtons Court in September last year and found the stricken Mr Williams lying unconscious and covered in blood.

Despite their valiant efforts he died at the scene.

Announcing the awards – which will be handed out on December 5 – RHS secretary Andrew Chapman said: “This was potentially a dangerous and very disturbing scene.”

Killers Nicholas Bridge and Daniel Onofeghare forced their way into the flat – and immediately lunged at Mr Williams with a large knife, striking fatal wounds.

Onofeghare stood watch and his intimidating and threatening behaviour prevented anyone from helping. Just three minutes after arriving at the property, the pair fled.

A 999 call brought PC Harman and SC Field to the flat first. The other three officers arrived shortly afterwards.

All five worked tirelessly to try to keep the victim alive – dismissing the personal risk of contamination from the man’s blood and unaware whether the persons who had carried out the stabbing were still close by.

They tried to stem the bleeding, pack the man’s wounds, and administer CPR.

Mr Chapman, speaking at the society’s London headquarters as he announced the awards, said: “There were used needles lying around and there was a risk of blood contamination to the officers because they couldn’t fail to come into contact with the man’s blood.

“Sadly despite their efforts his life could not be saved but they all richly deserve the awards they are to receive after such an ordeal.”

Bridge, 18, from Brixton, London, was found guilty of murder and Onofeghare, 20, of no fixed address, guilty of manslaughter.

Detective Chief Inspector Emma Heater, who led the investigation for the Surrey and Sussex Major Crime Team, said: “This was a horrific planned and targeted attack by a teenager and a young man.

"The pair were at the flat for just three minutes and in that time they inflicted an extreme level of violence, leaving the premises before anyone could comprehend what had happened.”