Lone police officer keeping a crowd of gatecrashers at bay at Wireless Festival. Image: screen grab for public interest reporting from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEu_wGa_unY&feature=youtu.be

YouTube video of a lone police officer holding back a mob of yelling gatecrashers, some throwing missiles, has prompted calls for the public to nominate him for a bravery award.

The police officer, so far unnamed, uses an out-stretched hand and holds up a metal baton with the other to bring calm to an escalating incident at London’s Wireless music festival on Saturday.

Large numbers of gatecrashers, probably in their hundreds, tried to storm the 15 feet high security fence into the arena in Finsbury Park.

Assistant Met Commissioner for territorial policing Helen King is encouraging members of the public to put the officer forward for an award.

The footage has gone viral and the officer at the centre of it is attracting admiration from his peers- some of them with the highest ranks in the service.