Nominate your courageous heroes for Pride of Shropshire Award
When brothers John and Josh Dunderdale discovered an elderly neighbour was trapped inside her burning house, they didn't think twice about what to do.
Joined by their father Nayman, and without thought for their own safety, the brothers forced their way into the property, and led the woman, who is in her 80s, to safety.
It was this selfless courage which led to the family, from Bartons Road, Market Drayton, being presented with the Courage Award at last year's Pride of Shropshire ceremony.
The Shropshire Star is now looking for nominations across a number of categories for the 2015 awards. The Bartons said it was humbling to be recognised t last year's event and said the event was a wonderful celebration of the people who make a difference in the county.
Nayman, who is 51, said it was an emotional moment when the family was presented with the prize at during the awards night at Shrewsbury Town's Greenhous Meadow stadium.
"Since then we have had lots of people telling us they read about it, and saying 'well done', which is nice."
He is now encouraging Shropshire folk to nominate other people who have gone beyond the call of duty for this year's awards, before the closing date on September 8.
"It was a fantastic evening," said Nayman.
"When we sat round the table, and were seeing what other people had been doing, how they had been helping charities and things like that, it really was quite humbling.
"It was a good feeling. It is good that people are honoured for this sort of thing, and I would encourage anybody who knows somebody who has done something that deserves to be recognised to get their nominations in.
"And if they know somebody who has been nominated, they should do what they can to support them."
After hearing a smoke alarm in the early hours of the morning, John, now 27, contacted the fire service before the intrepid trio smashed their way into her smoke-filled home, dealt with the source of the fire, and led the neighbour, known only as Anna, out of the house.
"She was in hospital for a while after that, I think she had something in her throat, but she is back home now."
Nayman, an RSPCA inspector, said he was extremely proud of his John, who works as an electrician, and 18-year-old Josh, who is studying at Shrewsbury College.
"I am immensely proud of them. They went in first. To know your sons are in there trying to save an old lady, I am proud of them both." John said: "We didn't really think about it to be honest we just wanted to get in there and get her out. It was a spur of the moment thing. She was screaming for help."
The blaze broke out on the ground floor of the house in Market Drayton after a pan had been left on the cooker and caught fire.
Neighbours said the trio saved Anna's life after breaking into the house. She was taken to hospital in Stoke-on-Trent.
The family say she had been calling for help for at least 15 minutes before they were alerted to a smoke alarm at 1.15am .
"We were in the bedroom when Josh told his brother he could hear an alarm was going off next door.
"They realised it was the smoke alarm so they went to have a look. I threw on some clothes and ran out the door.
"We knew Anna lived alone and could not walk properly. She's been our neighbour since we moved here in 2002, but she's lived here since the house was built. She was screaming for help when we went round so John smashed the window and Josh climbed in.
"He was coughing and spluttering when in there so I called for him to get out as John had managed to get in through the back door. I went in the kitchen and saw a pan on the cooker, which was smoking everywhere so I took it off and opened all the windows before we helped Anna to safety."
