Firefighters were today celebrating after being rewarded for their lifesaving actions in the aftermath of a horrific road accident.

Honour - chief fire officer David Turner, centre, with his award-winning crews. Picture: MAXINE CLARKE 5DGLM5

Crews from Southend, Rayleigh and Canvey were all at the ceremony at Southend fire station where they received letters of congratulations and certificates from chief fire officer David Turner.

The officers had been on their way to a huge blaze in Burdett Road, Southend, when three generations of one family were involved in a collision with a car while trying to cross Eastern Esplanade.

The mum, grandmother and three children were all injured in the accident but have since recovered and thanked the firemen who gave them emergency first aid at the scene.

It was a beautiful summer day when Sapphire, two, her brother Samuel, ten, and sister Samantha, eight, along with their mother, Faye Singer-Carter, of Hainault Avenue, Westcliff, and grandmother Geraldine Hogg, were hurt.

Fire crews and a passerby had to lift the Peugeot 206 to free little Sapphire, who was trapped underneath the car.

Earlier this year Faye said: "The fire crew was wonderful. I just want to give my thanks to the firefighters and the members of the public who helped."

Published Tuesday December 18, 2001