A firefighter has been awarded a medal for 20 years’ service - after continuing a family tradition at Wallington fire station.

John Cliffe, 49, worked as a TV engineer before joining the brigade, where his father Arthur worked until the late-1970s.

He now expects his youngest son, who works at a electrical company, to keep the firefighting trail blazing within a few years.

He added: “I still get that adrenalin rush whenever we get called out and thoroughly enjoy driving the appliances. I would definitely recommend firefighting as a great career.

“I have been involved in some dramatic events, such as the 1987 storm, but also lot of incidents like rescuing a dog from a waste pipe in Mill Lane, Carshalton, a few months ago.”

To find out more about a firefighting career go to london-fire.gov.uk/YourCareer.asp