A CUB Scout and his community have been praised following their efforts during Storm Arwen.

Wilf Wakeman, 10, received a Community Award from Hexham MP Guy Opperman in recognition of the efforts he and others in the community made to help others during Storm Arwen.

Mr Opperman's Community Champion Awards are nominated by local residents to businesses and individuals who support the community.

Wilf and the Haydon Bridge Community were nominated by the community for supporting the most vulnerable during Storm Arwen.

Mr Opperman said: "Wilf and the Haydon Bridge Community went above and beyond to support local residents during the power cuts following Storm Arwen."

Wilf and his mother, Hayley Turner, attended the MP’s Storm Arwen public meeting in Hexham on January 27, where Mr Opperman presented him with the award. It will be displayed at the Haydonian Social Club as a tribute to those who helped Haydon Bridge residents who lost power during the storm.

A student at Shaftoe Trust Academy in Haydon Bridge, Wilf was quick to action when Storm Arwen struck his community. “People could have died if no one helped,” Wilf said.

Julie Phazey, Headteacher at Shaftoe Academy, said: “We are so proud of the contribution he made, and we have a real sense of pride that one of our pupils did that. It shows how caring Wilf is for supporting the community.”

Wilf explained: “First of all, I made sure that people would keep warm and get nice warm food, and also I helped people know where the toilets are, and know where to charge their things.”

Cub Scouts leader Deborah Brown said: “Together with others in the community centre, he offered hot drinks, chatted, and put a smile on worried or frightened neighbours’ faces. His actions not only helped his local community but also earned him his Community Impact Badge. We are proud to award Wilf his badge and to recognise the values it represents, to care and make a positive difference.”

“Basically, Storm Arwen started when I was just chilling in my chair doing what I normally do and then the lights started flickering. It was a pretty terrifying experience at first,” Wilf said.

Wilf said his favourite Cub Scouts badge was his new Community Impact badge. “First of all, it’s a very rare badge to get, and second of all, almost no one has acquired it. Only some people in the village have got the Community Impact badge,” he said.

“It was scary being in the dark during Storm Arwen,” Wilf said. “Because no electricity means no warmth, no warm food, and no warm water. That means it’s difficult to survive during disasters like that.”

When asked how he feels about getting the Community Award and Community Impact Badge, Wilf said: “Impressed, if I say so myself. I’ve not really done stuff like this before. It’s a very big responsibility to do stuff like that.”