A courageous couple who restrained and stopped a man from killing his ex-wife in an horrific attack have been given a bravery award.

Katherine Jordan, 65, and her partner Roger Trask, 73, from Golden Green near Tonbridge, were given the award at Maidstone Crown Court this morning.

The pair who stopped Thuan Dinh murdering his wife when he turned up at her nail salon and used a rope, knife, petrol-filled bottle and four butane gas cylinders in a savage assault to try and kill her.

They got one of the county’s most prestigious bravery commendations, the High Sheriff’s Award, this morning in front of Judge Philip St John-Stevens who presided over the attempted murder trial which saw Dinh jailed for 32 years for the horrific crime.

Roger and Katherine have previously described how they were on their way to Wetherspoon’s along Tonbridge High Street for a bite to eat before heading to a funeral on the day the savage attack took place more than three years ago.

The pair never imagined they would be faced with a grisly “pool of blood” in a dimly lit corridor of the VCC Boutique nail bar in the town centre, but as they walked past the shop they were flagged down by a staff member.

Katherine said: “A lady came out saying ‘help me, help me!’ We went in thinking someone was having a heart attack.”

When they entered the doorway of a room in the shop they were confronted by Dinh, crouched over his ex-wife, Lien.

Dinh, of Rowan Mews, Tonbridge, was strangling Ms Dinh with a rope and had tried to gouge at her eyes and had stabbed her through the neck.

Katherine jumped on top of Dinh and pinned him to the ground while Roger called 999 and then helped keep a hold of him until the emergency services arrived.

Roger said he was ready to give him a “kick” if he dared to struggle with his partner.

The couple’s intervention helped get emergency services to the scene quickly to save Ms Dinh’s life.

Though shaken up, the couple still went for their breakfast at the pub where the police took statements from them.

Today, their award was presented to them by former High Sheriff John Weir, as the current High Sheriff of Kent, Russell Race, couldn't attend the hearing.

Before they were handed their certificates, Judge Philip St John-Stevens said: "Your bravery prevented someone from dying, it's as simple and as stark as that.

"The bravery of each of you saved her life and it is an honour to be here and your family behind you are very proud of you as I am as a fellow citizen.

"You dragged him off her and sat on top of him so he could not move and you held him so her life could be saved.

"You are kind, good people, there were extraordinary actions of selfless bravery. You saved a mother of two children.

"This must be a proud moment for you and your children."

Mr Weir added: "It is an honour to give this award to you. You should both be proud of yourselves. It was a spur of the moment instinctive act."

The High Sheriff of Kent’s Award Fund was set up to recognise public servants, voluntary groups and individual volunteers, whose selfless acts have benefited communities across the county.

Speaking after ceremony the couple said they were were very pleased to receive the award and were going for a celebratory breakfast afterwards.

Katherine added: "They were wonderful words by the judge, we are very pleased.

Roger's son who is also called Roger, 49, said: "Dad's been through hell over the past few months with illness and this has given both of them a boost. They are both heroes."