A MAN from Holland who saved the life of a boy at an Aston Cantlow campsite was presented with a commendation last week.

Alex Talsma received the County Fire Officers Commendation at Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service's award ceremony.

Mr Talsma had run to help Sue Wright, from Birmingham, when a fire started in their tent at the campsite in August.

He dragged her to safety and put out the fire on her clothes and then ran back to help her five-year-old son, William, who was still trapped inside.

Mr Talsma said: "It all happened so quickly, I didn't have time to think. But now I think wow, that was scary.

"I am very happy to be back in Warwickshire with William and Sue and I hope we will always keep in touch."

After the fire, William spent several weeks in hospital after suffering serious burns and Mr Talsma also suffered burns to his hands.

Area Risk Manager Simon Ellershaw said they had nominated the Dutchman because he was a hero, especially in the eyes of William.

"It takes someone special to do what he did. We deal with incidents like this as part of our job but to enter a tent which is on fire to rescue the lives of people you have never even met shows real courage," he said.

"Without Alex's help, I'm sure the outcome would have been very different."

Mr Talsma has also been nominated for a Royal Humane Society Award - an award people can only be nominated for if they have put their own lives at risk to save someone else.