The officer who selflessly took on two aggressive dogs to try and protect a victim of a brutal murder

Shortly before 1am on October 3 last year officers attended what they believed to be a domestic incident on Industry Road in Rochdale. What they would walk in to was the scene of a brutal murder.

Liam Richardson, 21, had suffered horrendous injuries at the hands of a raging axeman, having been hit over the head by 18 blows in a 'frenzied attack'. Blood was splattered across the walls and carpet near where his body was discovered.

"S***, he's f****** dead," one of the first officers on the scene said after making their way inside. Their first thoughts were to do anything they could to help him.

READ MORE: Man, 21, stabbed to death after 'running to help friend who was being attacked', murder cops say

However, they were not alone in the property. Liam's two large Staffy dogs were out of control, barking and jumping aggressively at the two officers as they tried desperately to defend their dying owner.

The officers badly needed assistance if they were to have any chance of helping him. PC Lee Hird arrived shortly after the first responders to help with the incident.

PC Hird entered the house with a riot shield to protect the two officers from the aggessive dogs. He drove the dogs back up the stairs, past where Liam was on the landing and into a bedroom.

However, there was no door to this room and he had to utilise another shield in an attempt to keep the dogs at bay. This gave the other officers vital time to try and attend to Liam. But, it soon became clear Liam was dead and the situation had suddenly escalated into a murder scene.

The riot shields were not going to be enough to hold back the dogs and PC Hird, despite what the scene had just become, frantically tried to come up with a plan to get the dogs into a secure