Queen's Birthday Honours: Former firefighter gets BEM

Dr Stephen Worrall's charity has supported orphanages and homes for the elderly

A former firefighter who oversaw the transport of 50 fire engines to central Europe has been awarded a BEM in the Queen's Birthday Honours.

Dr Stephen Worrall, 55, was made aware while taking on Spain's 500-mile (804km) Camino de Santiago pilgrimage.

He set up Operation Sabre, which has helped communities in Romania.

The former assistant chief fire officer of Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service said he was "humbled and embarrassed" to receive the BEM.

A total of 50 decommissioned and refurbished fire engines have been taken to central Europe

Dr Worrall, of Stoney Stretton, near Shrewsbury, set up an exchange programme between Shropshire and European firefighters 15 years ago.

Initially working with people in Denmark, Austria, Portugal and Spain, the project moved towards central Europe.

He said there, a need had been found to provide old fire engines, starting in Hungary, the Czech Republic and Poland, where they also ran an exchange that saw Polish firefighters come to Shropshire.

Seven years ago the project moved to Romania and, when he retired about five years ago, Dr Worrall said it was decided the work would continue though a new independent registered charity, Operation Sabre.

It has now taken 43 fire engines to the country, as well as helping other communities.

The charity adopted a retirement home six years ago and completely renovated it.

Dr Worrall said the transformation of the home for the elderly had given them "purpose to live"

It also decorated a child protection unit for young mothers in Târgu Mureș in October 2016, fitting it with smoke alarms.

Six months later, when there was a severe fire at the unit, the alarms saved 18 residents.

Dr Worrall said the charity's work was solely paid for through donations, with each fire engine part-funded by the charity and by the area receiving it.

He said: "I am humbled and embarrassed to be receiving the honour.

"There are a lot of very talented and hardworking people in charity more deserving than myself."

Dr Worrall was on the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage when he found out about the honour