Whitehaven Sea Cadet Honoured

A Whitehaven Sea Cadet has been given a special award and commendation for the way in which he dealt with a car accident in which his mother was injured.

Cadet First Class Connor Mason (15) was travelling home with his mother when their car was hit from behind on the Carlisle bypass by a van travelling at speed. Connor acted calmly and quickly to establish his location using Google Maps, then contacted the emergency services before speaking with the driver of the other vehicle.

Connor’s mother, Kath said she believed that attending Sea Cadets gave Connor some of the skills he used, including the self-confidence needed to deal with the situation.

“I cannot believe how calm Connor stayed, even managing to make little jokes to keep my spirits up” said Kath. “He really took control and managed the situation and I am convinced that the Sea Cadets gave him the confidence to do so.”

When asked about the incident, Connor was typically modest, saying “I didn’t think it was that big a deal to be honest. I just did what I had to do to look after my mum.”

Presenting Connor with a certificate of Merit and an engraved plaque, County Councillor Emma Williamson, who sits on the Council’s Scrutiny and Advisory Board for Young People and is an Armed Forces Champion, said that she was honoured to present Connor with his award.

“I’m very proud to be an Armed Forces Champion and even more proud to know people like Connor are looking for a career in the Navy. We need more people like Connor with bravery and integrity.”