A paramedic from West Hampstead received a special award after heroically saving 30 people from a fire.

Sean Carmody, 24, was racing to a 999 call along with fellow paramedic HIlary Shepherd when they spotted smoke rising from a block of flats in Harrow.

Sean, 24, said: “We had to stop when we saw the smoke. Our job is to look after people.

“I just knew I had to get everyone out. The flats were full of people. We were waking them up, trying to give them reassurance but also get them out of there as quickly as possible.”

Along with Hilary and a third paramedic, Luke Dos-Santos, Sean was honoured for his bravery at the annual London Ambulance Service VIP awards where he received a Chief Executive Commendation award.

Clinical Team Leader Peter Rogers, who nominated them for the award, said: “Although a little bit of luck was involved in the crew being that street at the right time, their level of observation in actually seeing the smoke coming from a shuttered building at 3am is admirable.”