A PROUD moment was tinged with sadness when bravery awards were presented to ambulance crews.

For Grassington station officer David Rhodes died suddenly just days before he was due to pick up his award from West Yorkshire Ambulance head-quarters in Bradford.

His son, Andrew, took his place at the ceremony and joined David's close colleague, paramedic Brian Robertshaw.

Andrew also collected his father's long service award for his 30 years as an ambulanceman from BBC Look North presenter Mike McCarthy.

Ambulance service chairman Alan Titterington told the gathering: "David was a marvellous man and could have featured in many of the award categories.

"I know he could have been in the community award because of the involvement and he and our other friends at Grassington have with MESH our sympathies go out to his family."

David and Brian received the award after they faced being engulfed in thousands of tons of limestone dust as they treated a trapped man.

The pair were called to Swinden Quarry and found a man trapped in a digger buried under limestone. Behind him was a stockpile of limestone which could have collapsed at any moment.

Also receiving an award was Settle ambulance technician Brian Richardson, whose lifelong expertise on the fells has been invaluable at many cave and fell rescue incidents.

He received the Skipton Building Society Cave and Fell Rescue Awards in recognition of his work.

Based at Settle, he has worked for WYMAS for more than 25 years, and lives in the town.

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