Rescuer is nominated for MBE
A mountain rescuer has been nominated for an MBE for 35 years service saving people in the testing environment of the Brecon Beacons.
Huw Lloyd Jones, 53, who lives in Dowlais, Merthyr Tydfil, is the deputy team leader of the Central Beacons Mountain Rescue team.
Mr Jones has taken part in thousands of operations and first became involved in the voluntary team after being used as a dummy dead body in training missions.
Describing his reaction to his gong, Mr Jones said: “Well it was a mixture of thoughts and feelings to be honest.
“I was surprised obviously and had to read it about two or three times to make sure. I felt quite humbled too.
“After 35 years of service with the same team I thought ‘Crumbs, where has that time gone?’
“And I started to think back of all the things that have happened in that time.
“We have had some really testing, challenging rescues in the Brecon Beacons and large-scale rescues like the search for April Jones.”
Mr Jones, who works as a civil servant, said: “I felt honoured and humbled, I suppose, that someone somewhere has thought enough about my service to put me forward.”
Mr Jones had to keep the news secret for weeks and only recently told his wife Tracy and son Lloyd, who is looking to join the rescue team himself and added he is looking forward to accepting the award sometime this year.