Shropshire cave hero Mike's date with PM
Shropshire cave-rescue hero Mike Clayton was thanked for his work by the Prime Minister at a reception in Downing Street.
Mr Clayton, from Hampton Loade, near Bridgnorth, was part of the team which rescued 12 schoolboys and their football coach from a flooded cave in Thailand earlier this month.
His partner Emma Porter, who helped co-ordinate the rescue effort from home, was also invited to the event. Both are senior members of British Cave Rescue Council and Midlands Cave Rescue Organisation.
Mr Clayton, 50, said it had been a huge honour to meet the PM.
All the British volunteers involved in the operation were invited to the event. They included Gary Mitchell from Staylittle, near Llanidloes, and Rick Stanton from Coventry, the diver who discovered the boys were still alive.
Mrs May thanked the team, adding: "They did extremely well. We can be very proud of them. They did a fantastic job. They're great heroes."
They joined the PM for a photograph outside No. 10 with Thai ambassador Pisanu Suvanajata.
Mr Clayton, who works as safety officer for Eccleshall-based Arco, said: "It was very good, definitely a day to remember.
"It's always good to be recognised for your efforts, and it was a very interesting day.
"Theresa May thanked us for what we had done, she said she was very impressed, and asked some individual questions.
"She was very friendly, you see these people on television and wonder what they are like, but she seemed very normal."
Mr Clayton, who is equipment officer for British Cave Rescue Council, was was a support worker during the operation at Luang Nang Non cave in Thailand.
He has been a cave rescue for about 18 years, and is also chairman of Midlands Cave Rescue Organisation.
The boys were trapped in the cave for 18 days after entering it on June 23.
On July 2, Mr Stanton and fellow diver John Volanthen found the group alive on an elevated rock about 2.5 miles from the cave mouth.
Mr Clayton received a call within hours of the discovery, and was joined by by volunteers from South and Mid Wales Cave Rescue Team.
“They needed somebody who was really experienced and had an understanding employer, who could go out at short notice, and I went out on the Thursday morning.”
He said he was thrilled and surprised that all 13 trapped in the cave were rescued.
