A FIRE-FIGHTER who kept a boy alive after he was thrown through a car windscreen and another who twice saved a man from a blazing house are to be honoured for their bravery.

A Royal Humane Society award is to be presented to Walter Moore, from Teesside Airport Fire Rescue, after he kept alive a three-year-old boy involved in an horrific car accident.

Assistant Divisional Officer Moore, of Jenkins Drive, Bishop Auckland, County Durham, was driving to a meeting in Teesside last November when he saw an overturned car near Newton Aycliffe.

Three-year-old Ethan Blackburn had been thrown through the windscreen, leaving him with massive head injuries.

Using his skills as a medical technician, ADO Moore stemmed the bleeding and cleared his airways of blood, keeping him alive until an ambulance arrived.

Ethan, of Loraine Walk, Newton Aycliffe, needed 260 stitches and almost lost his life four times due to the severity of his injuries.

In addition to his award from the Royal Humane Society, Mr Moore also won the personal praise of society secretary, Major General Christopher Tyler.

He said: "If it was not for the way Mr Moore calmly took control of the situation he came upon, I dread to think what would have happened.

"His quick-thinking almost certainly saved that boy's life and I am sure his family are eternally grateful."

Bishop Auckland fire-fighter Shaun Thompson was also off-duty when he came across a house fire in the town.

He was driving his son home from the dentist when he spotted a young girl standing at her door crying and smoke coming from the bedroom window.

The girl told him her dad was in the house so he fought his way through the smoke-logged house to drag him outside.

While the fire-fighter phoned for the fire service the man ran back upstairs, it is thought to retrieve his passport.

Mr Thompson returned into the house, by this time well alight, and again led the man to safety.

He is to receive a commendation from County Durham and Darlington Chief Fire Officer George Herbert for his bravery.

Acting leading fire-fighter at Bishop Auckland, Ron Bainbridge said: "Shaun didn't say anything about this after it happened. He really deserves this award."