A RETIRED police officer who took on a knife-carrying bike thief in the middle of a busy York road is to appear on a new BBC television series.

PC Rich Farrar's story of the incident he was involved in will be told on an episode of Critical Incident, on BBC One.

The documentary series tells the true stories of police officers, paramedics and firefighters who have been attacked and injured in the line of duty.

PC Farrar, 46, said: "I am pleased that I can share my story of day-to-day policing with the dangers that the police and other emergency services now sadly face.

"I believe it is important to tell our stories. I’m the lucky one who can. I have friends and colleagues who had been fatally injured in the line of duty who were doing the job they loved in trying to protect the public. They are the real hero’s, the ones who are no longer with us who can’t talk about their story.

"The lack of respect for emergency services nowadays for just trying to do their job and trying to make the world a safer place is all too apparent to see."

He added: "I have appeared in previous police programmes including BBC One's Caught Red Handed and Channel 5's Police Code Zero: Officer Under Attack relating to the same knife incident."

In his interview for the programme, PC Farrar, who lives in York, also talks about dealing and living with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), which he was diagnosed with before the incident in 2015.

On September 26 that year, he confronted Dean Richard Edwards - then 28 - after CCTV operators saw him acting suspiciously close to bike racks in Exhibition Square. Edwards became violent and tried to escape, and as PC Farrar tried to restrain him, they struggled into oncoming traffic, when PC Farrar heard metal hit the ground - later discovering it was a kitchen knife with an eight-inch blade which had been hidden in Edwards’ waist band.

Andy Haigh, a professional cage fighting judge from Leeds, was in York and helped restrain the man until backup arrived.

Edwards was jailed for 30 months, while PC Farrar received the North Yorkshire Police Public Choice Award and a Chief Constable Commendation for Courage.

He was also nominated at last year's National Police Bravery Awards in London, which are held by the Police Federation of England and Wales to recognise police officers who performed outstanding acts of bravery while on or off duty.

He retired from the force in March last year after 27 years in policing, on grounds of ill health.

Since retiring, he has become a national road safety instructor with City of York Council, teaching primary and secondary school children in York road safety and Bikeability cycling.

The episode of Critical Incident that will tell PC Farrar's story will be broadcast on Wednesday, June 19 at 9.15am on BBC One.