A man who was hailed a hero after pulling 20 trapped cars from the snow last month has been honoured with an award from the National Campaign for Courtesy. Stuart Down, 32, from Middle Lane in Epsom and owner of Stuart Motors, spent six hours on Sunday, February 5, rescuing a total of 20 stricken vehicles from the snow as blizzards whipped the Epsom Downs, including an elderly pensioner with a heart condition.

One woman said she ‘thought she would die’ after the car she was travelling in with her husband and two friends got stuck in the snow until Mr Down came to her rescue.

Mr Down, who had done the same in previous years, broke four tow ropes pulling vans from the snow throughout the day. After reading about his heroic efforts in the Epsom Guardian a member of the National Campaign for Courtesy nominated Mr Down for an award which was presented to him on Tuesday, March 6, at his home.

Mr Down said: "I was a bit surprised and shocked. A similar reaction to finding out that someone had written in to your paper about it. It was totally unexpected. I had never heard of the charity before but courtesy is certainly something that’s lacking in this country so it’s nice to be recognised. The family are very proud of what I have done and I get calls now from customers saying that have got a hero looking after them so that’s nice."

Peter Foot, chairman of the National Campaign for Courtesy, said: "Being courteous and polite is obviously the sort of person he is in that he would do this rescuing and not expect payment, which I think was one of the main thrusts of the story. We have given certificates to all sorts of people in different walks of life including a bus driver in Islington who used to sing to his passengers and give them sweets. Most people in the country are polite, kindly spirits but it’s the behaviour of a few that might be getting worse and spoil it for everyone else. We have to maintain that level of praising the good as well as condemning the bad."