A FORMER Bradford firefighter who suffered severe spinal injuries in a cycling accident has won a prestigious award for his charity fundraising.

Pete Lau's dedication to raising money for the Fire Fighters Charity landed him the Beneficiary of Courage accolade at the organisation's Spirit of Fire Awards.

The 49-year-old, who has recently retired from the fire service, was nearly killed when his bike collided with a car in April last year. He broke 11 ribs, fractured his scapula and endured massive spinal damage.

He spent months recovering in hospital and attended rehabilitation with the charity.

On his award success, Mr Lau said: "My wife Deb, my family and I had a wonderful weekend in London whilst attending the Spirit Of Fire Awards.

"Of course I was thrilled to be nominated for the Beneficiary of Courage award. The nominees in the category were all so equally deserving. I'm sure the judges had a very hard job to single out an eventual winner.

"To accept such recognition without mentioning the amazing support Deb and I have, and continue to receive from our family, our friends, our colleagues, everyone in West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, the amazing staff at Pinderfields Spinal Unit and of course the Fire Fighters Charity, would be remiss if me.

"It is a very proud moment in my journey and road to dealing with my injury."

Mr Lau's last role with the fire service was assistant district commander for Bradford.

A spokesman for the Fire Fighters Charity said: "Peter is an inspiration, motivating other patients in their recovery despite several of his own knock-backs. Committed to making a difference, Peter won this award due to his dedication to fundraising for the charity, despite having his own challenges.

"Huge congratulations to Peter and the runners-up for their exceptional bravery."

The Beneficiary of Courage award was one of ten handed out on the night, with others including Team of the Year, Firefighter of the Year and Lifetime Achievement Award.

To qualify for his award, Mr Lau had to meet one of more of the following criteria: be a member of the fire service community who when required to exhibit strength of character in the face of adversity, did so; demonstrates inspirational achievements in recovering from a life-changing illness or injury; and overcomes a significant obstacle in his or her personal life and provides unwavering support to others despite challenging personal circumstances.

The awards night was presented by BBC newsreader Nicholas Owen and was preceded by a Downing Street reception for nominees that was hosted by Greg Clark MP, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government.

Mr Clark said: "I've been inspired by the accounts of self-sacrifice and dedication that the winners and nominees of this year's Spirit of Fire Awards have shown, both at individual incidents and in their support for the Fire Fighters Charity.

"This charity provides world-class support and treatment for serving and retired firefighters, as well as their families, and it is in recognition of this that we continue to support its work. I would like to congratulate all those involved in the awards, and to thank them for all their hard work and commitment."