OFFICERS who put themselves in harm’s way to resuscitate a woman as a gunman took potshots at them during a two-hour siege in Lower Stratton have won top police awards. Gun fanatic Scott Symonds, who was later jailed for almost five years, turned violent after arguing with his mum when she told him to turn down his music. Insp Mark Freeman, the firearms commander who directed teams on the ground from the control room, said officers had no idea he was using a replica gun. “We had to assume it was a real firearm. “There was a lot of fear from the officers involved, I think it’s fair to say, because ‘what’s he shooting at us with? Is this going to hurt us?’.