A WOMAN who gave first aid to a grandmother who had been shot alongside her two daughters at a barbecue has today been presented with a top bravery award.

Georgie Gibson is to receive a gold medal at the Provincial Police Awards after she went to the aid of Jacqueline Walton after hearing shots fired in Highmoor Cross, near Henley, in June 2004.

Mrs Walton survived the shooting but her daughters Vicky Horgan, 27, and Emma Walton, 25, were killed by Ms Horgan's estranged husband, Stuart Mrs Gibson knew there were children in the house and was determined to protect them, her award citation said.

She administered first aid to grandmother Mrs Walton, who had been shot in the head.

The killer was captured, but killed himself with a disposable razor in his prison cell.

The citation said: "Georgie Gibson displayed care, compassion and extreme courage in appalling circumstances at the scene of a triple shooting."

A report last year stated tha too much emphasis was placed on finding Stuart Horgan and not enough on protecting the victims.

Police had been criticised for holding back paramedics from treating the injured for fear that Horgan was still in the vicinity.Jacqueline Walton was shot in the head Thames Valley Police and the Independent Police Complaints Commission carried out a review of how firearms incidents were dealt with.

Det Supt Mick Tighe, of the force's professional standards department, found the handling of events revealed a culture of caution and admitted the police's response went on to autopilot.

Former chief constable, Peter Neyroud, issued a formal apology for his force's handling of the incident.