It's wonderful how Kacper has recovered. I see him or his family every week

A LASTING bond has been forged between a courageous firefighter and the teenager he saved, who had been underwater for 25 minutes.

- CALLY BROOKS

Stephen Wharton was given a Pride of Britain Emergency Services Award by Rod and Penny Stewart for risking his life to rescue Kacper Krauze, then 13.

Stephen, 54 who today marks his 25th anniversary with the Fire Service said: "It's wonderful seeing ror how Kacper has recovered.

"There's not a S S it week that goes by VIDEO that I don't see him or his family."

The part-time firefighter was preparing for a training evening at Appleby station when his pager went off. Kacper's Mirro body had gone into shock as he tried to swim across the icy cold River Eden, Cumbria, next to the station, on an unseasonably warm day in February 2019.