TRIBUTES have poured in for a firefighter who saved the life of a teenage boy.

Stephen Wharton was this week among eight recipients of the Queen’s Commendation for Bravery Award for his rescue of a 13 year-old boy who was drowning in the River Eden in 2019.

At great personal risk, Crew Manager Wharton removed his protective kit and dived to a depth two to three metres to retrieve the boy and bring him to the surface.

Stephen was with the crew from Appleby Fire Station on that day.

A crew from Penrith with an SRT team, paramedics and the GNAAS were also in attendance.

The boy was resuscitated after having been underwater for 20 minutes and later made a full recovery.

When the news broke, readers of the News & Star took to social media to praise Steve for his actions and for his award.

Julie Armstrong said: "Congratulations & well deserved.

"All you guys do a amazing job to serve our community.

"I'm so pleased the young man is going to college & leading a normal life."

Carol Halliwell added: "Well deserved, a true hero & an all round great guy."

Mike Adams wrote: "Well done Steve, your truly great, heroic, unselfless action has saved this lads life."

Clare Louise said: "Well done Steve Wharton! Congratulations on your award," while Elizabeth Lightfood added; "Very well deserved award, well done. Good to hear the young man is fit & well."

Speaking after the award, Steve discussed what happened.

He said: "“At the time you don’t see it as a risk, you just think that if it was your kids that somebody would be there to do the same with them.

“You do what you are employed to do.

“As soon as I was floating on top of him I could see a blurred outline of the boy.

“I tried touching him with my feet, and it was at that point that I realised that I should take my flotation device off.

“I thought that I should give it a go and try and get down to him, so thankfully on the first attempt we got him out.”