QUICK-THINKING trucker Lee Hall has been saluted by the fire service for rescuing a group of flood victims.

The 42-year-old Hallmark Cards driver, of Liversedge, used his lorry to evacuate 16 residents from River Street, Brighouse, after flash floods on January 21.

He has now been given the West Yorkshire Fire Service’s district manager’s Letter of Appreciation, among the highest accolades a member of the public can receive.

The modest father-of-three said: “I don’t see myself as a hero.

“It was a spur of the moment thing. The situation needed dealing with and I was there.

“It’s not like I rescued anyone from a burning building.

“I’d do it again.”

Lee stepped into the breach when Brighouse firefighters were called out on a rescue operation.

About half of River Street was under 3ft of water.

Among the people that Lee got into the back of his lorry were a young girl who had just had a double hip operation and a number of elderly residents.

Brighouse fire station manager Lee Benson said: “The initial idea was to bring them out using a rescue team and a dinghy.

“That would have taken about two or three hours and would have been more dangerous and resulted in them getting cold and wet.

“Lee managed to keep them completely dry and warm and saved us a couple of hours.”

He added: “Normally we would say something like this is a courageous thing to do and it was.

“But it was also ingenious. It was a really good example of business and the local community working together.

“He put himself out there and took a bit of a risk in a situation which was potentially dangerous.”