FIRE Service personnel involved in the rescue of a mother and daughter in a flooding incident at Sheepwash last October have been awarded Chief Fire Officer's Commendations.

The pair had become trapped when the car they were travelling in entered deep water, on October 11.

The car was carried along by the water until it collided with a tree and the only option was for them to climb through the sun roof and then into the tree when the car started to move.

Fire control operator Cheryl Jenkins spoke to the distressed child for more than 14 minutes, calming the caller down, giving advice and obtaining the detailed location information required to enable the responding crews to locate and rescue them.

Firefighter Mike Burden, of Barnstaple Blue Watch, was part of one of the crews that attended. Mike entered the fast flowing water, in darkness, and out of his depth, as a tethered swimmer to secure them in a flotation device. He then stayed with them until they were rescued in a boat.

They were said to have both acted in the finest traditions of the fire service.