"The hero is the man who lets no obstacle prevent him from pursuing the values he has chosen."
Firefighters from around the UK paid their last respects to a "brave and passionate" fireman killed while tackling a fierce warehouse blaze.John Averis and three of his colleagues were killed in the fire at a vegetable packing plant in Atherstone on Stour,Warwickshire.More than thousand firefighters gathered at St Gregory's Church in Tredington,near Shipston-on-Stour,as Johns coffin arrived at his funeral on a hydraulic platform.Accompanied by members of his family,his coffin was then carried into the church by pall-bearers after being given a final salute by a senior officer from Warwickshire Fire Service.Members of the public and friends of the retained firefighter also attended the service,the first of four funerals following the blaze on November 2,his body and the bodies of his colleagues Darren Yates-Badley and Ashley Stephens,were retrieved from the ruins of the building after a five-day search operation.Firefighter Ian Reid died in hospital after being rescued.Conducting the service,the Venerable Dr Gordon Kuhrt said: "We are here today especially to honour the memory of John. "Members of the fire and rescue service risk their lives on behalf of the whole community and on this occasion young men died." He added: "To risk and to give one's life in the service and care of others is a very noble thing."
Firefighters from around the UK paid their last respects to a "brave and passionate" fireman killed while tackling a fierce warehouse blaze.John Averis and three of his colleagues were killed in the fire at a vegetable packing plant in Atherstone on Stour,Warwickshire.More than thousand firefighters gathered at St Gregory's Church in Tredington,near Shipston-on-Stour,as Johns coffin arrived at his funeral on a hydraulic platform.Accompanied by members of his family,his coffin was then carried into the church by pall-bearers after being given a final salute by a senior officer from Warwickshire Fire Service.Members of the public and friends of the retained firefighter also attended the service,the first of four funerals following the blaze on November 2,his body and the bodies of his colleagues Darren Yates-Badley and Ashley Stephens,were retrieved from the ruins of the building after a five-day search operation.Firefighter Ian Reid died in hospital after being rescued.Conducting the service,the Venerable Dr Gordon Kuhrt said: "We are here today especially to honour the memory of John. "Members of the fire and rescue service risk their lives on behalf of the whole community and on this occasion young men died." He added: "To risk and to give one's life in the service and care of others is a very noble thing."
"The hero is the man who lets no obstacle prevent him from pursuing the values he has chosen."
Firefighters from around the UK paid their last respects to a "brave and passionate" fireman killed while tackling a fierce warehouse blaze.John Averis and three of his colleagues were killed in the fire at a vegetable packing plant in Atherstone on Stour,Warwickshire.More than thousand firefighters gathered at St Gregory's Church in Tredington,near Shipston-on-Stour,as Johns coffin arrived at his funeral on a hydraulic platform.Accompanied by members of his family,his coffin was then carried into the church by pall-bearers after being given a final salute by a senior officer from Warwickshire Fire Service.Members of the public and friends of the retained firefighter also attended the service,the first of four funerals following the blaze on November 2,his body and the bodies of his colleagues Darren Yates-Badley and Ashley Stephens,were retrieved from the ruins of the building after a five-day search operation.Firefighter Ian Reid died in hospital after being rescued.Conducting the service,the Venerable Dr Gordon Kuhrt said: "We are here today especially to honour the memory of John. "Members of the fire and rescue service risk their lives on behalf of the whole community and on this occasion young men died." He added: "To risk and to give one's life in the service and care of others is a very noble thing."
Firefighters from around the UK paid their last respects to a "brave and passionate" fireman killed while tackling a fierce warehouse blaze.John Averis and three of his colleagues were killed in the fire at a vegetable packing plant in Atherstone on Stour,Warwickshire.More than thousand firefighters gathered at St Gregory's Church in Tredington,near Shipston-on-Stour,as Johns coffin arrived at his funeral on a hydraulic platform.Accompanied by members of his family,his coffin was then carried into the church by pall-bearers after being given a final salute by a senior officer from Warwickshire Fire Service.Members of the public and friends of the retained firefighter also attended the service,the first of four funerals following the blaze on November 2,his body and the bodies of his colleagues Darren Yates-Badley and Ashley Stephens,were retrieved from the ruins of the building after a five-day search operation.Firefighter Ian Reid died in hospital after being rescued.Conducting the service,the Venerable Dr Gordon Kuhrt said: "We are here today especially to honour the memory of John. "Members of the fire and rescue service risk their lives on behalf of the whole community and on this occasion young men died." He added: "To risk and to give one's life in the service and care of others is a very noble thing."
