FIREFIGHTERS who battled through heavy snow to  rescue hundreds of stranded motorists have been  honoured for their “exceptional efforts”.

The work of a number of  fire crews, including Exeter and Exmouth’s Blue  Watch  and retained firefighters from Exmouth,  was acknowledged at a special ceremony at the service’s headquarters at  Clyst St George.

They were told that went  “above and beyond the call  of duty” when freak blizzards swept across the  county in February causing widespread road closures on major routes including the A38 and A30

A foot of snow fell in just  a few hours when the  storm hit an area around  Exeter, and motorists  needed to be rescued with  many abandoning their  cars in snowdrifts.

A fire service  spokesman said: “Lee  Howell, the Chief  Fire Officer,  presented certificates on Monday night to  recognise the crews’ exceptional work.

 “Fire crews attended  over 200 people  stranded in  their vehicles in unexpected heavy blizzards and in  freezing conditions on Haldon and Telegraph Hill.

“Crews worked continually for many hours,  giving first aid to members of  the public, moving them to  a safe place and clearing  cars to enable the snow  plough to operate.

“Also during heavy  snowfall, crews  delivered  blankets and sleeping bags  to the rescue centre at Okehampton College. More  than 200 people, including  the elderly and infants, had  been evacuated there from  the A30 and were without  heat or light following a  power failure.

“The crews endured a  27-mile  journey dealing  with blocked roads and  blizzard conditions. Assistance was given to stranded motorists en route. It is  believed that these were  the only vehicles to succeed in reaching Okehampton that night.

“Crews then made the  difficult return journey  where they were immediately redeployed.”

Other crews rewarded  included those from Bovey  Tracey fire station,  Dawlish  and Wellington,  while Adge Tilke, Martin  Bayet and Tam Alford  were singled out for special  praise.