QUICK-THINKING Paul Worbey has spoken of the moment Peter Reeve pointed a gun at him after he had saved one of his intended victims.

Mr Worbey, 57, was in his parents’ bungalow in Fairlop Close, Clacton, when he heard gunshots.

He looked outside, saw Kat Karolak being chased by Reeve and pulled her to safety.

Reeve pointed a gun at Mr Worbey, who swore and told him to go away.

Moments later Reeve shot dead PC Ian Dibell and injured Kat’s boyfriend Trevor Marshall.

Mr Worbey, who lives yards from Reeve’s flat, called the police and went outside where he discovered PC Dibell’s body on Monday.

He said: “I heard a horrendous scream and then two gunshots.

“I opened the door to see what was happening and by doing that I gave Kat a bolt hole to go into.

“I saw her coming at me and she was hysterical – Reeve was only about four paces behind.”

Mr Worbey, who served with the Royal Artillery for three years, said Reeve was very calm.

He added: “He was just out to get her. He wanted to kill her.

“I grabbed her by the collar and pulled her into the house through to the lounge where my father was.

“He then pointed the gun at me. I just swore at him and said he wouldn’t get in and started to close the door.

“He turned calmly and went – I’m not sure if he walked or ran. I then went in and phoned the police.

“I wasn’t scared. I served in Northern Ireland in the Seventies and have been shot at before.”

After calling the police, Mr Worbey, an emergency medical technician, left his house and came across PC Dibell in Redbridge Road.

He said: “By the time I got there it was too late.

“The first person to turn up was Dr Turner and he confirmed he had died. I didn’t know he was a police officer.

“When the police sergeant arrived she asked to see the man, and as soon as she did, she said: ‘It’s one of ours.’ “It’s so sad but I have dealt with death before and while it was happening your training just kicks in.

“Afterward I realised I had saved Kat’s life.

“I haven’t seen her since, but she did come back to see my parents, Peter and Pat, and said thank you for saving her life.”

Following the incident, Mr Worbey discovered the two shots fired at Kat hit the side of his house, grazing a wood panel and hitting a pipe.

Kat’s boyfriend, Trevor Marshall, thanked Mr Worbey in an interview in the Sun newspaper.

He said: “I thought my girlfriend had died. I’m so grateful to them.”

Reeve escaped from the scene and was found dead in a cemetery near Chelmsford on Tuesday after turning the gun on himself.

Tributes have continued to flood in for PC Dibell.

He was divorced with two stepchildren and lived with partner Louise Lilley, 38, a police community support officer. His elder brother Paul, 42, is a detective inspector and his younger brother, Neil, 33, also works for the force.