THE EVENTFUL 21-year career of a commended ambulanceman - which included riding on horseback to rescue a woman from Ilkley Moor - has finally drawn to a close.

Menston station officer Derek McMurrough, of St Richard's Road, was presented with a long service award by ambulance service

officials during his retirement celebration at High Royds Social Club, Menston, last Friday.

Mr McMurrough, 58, is no stranger to commendation - he was awarded the WYMAS Award for Excellence, for his part in the attempted rescue of a man from a burning car in Otley town centre in 1998.

But Mr McMurrough, of Otley, achieved greater fame in 1993, when he sped to the rescue of a patient - on horseback.

He was called to Langbar Moor, Ilkley in March 1993, after a 50-year-old woman fell from a horse and fractured her spine.

When the ambulance arrived at the edge of the moor, a rider had come to find him. Realising he needed to treat the injured woman as soon as possible, Mr McMurrough - who had not been in the saddle since he was 15 years old - borrowed Mora the mare from a rider at the side of the road, and raced off across the moor.

The injured woman, who was being kept warm by her husband, was taken to hospital and later recovered.

Mr McMurrough's horseback rescue achieved national headlines, and gave him two television appearances.

He and colleagues acted out part of the rescue in front of the cameras for BBC's 999 programme, and he was interviewed on Channel 4's The Big Breakfast.

Mr McMurrough worked for an insurance company before joining WYMAS.

He said: "I seem to remember saying I wanted more job satisfaction when I attended the interview, and working for the ambulance service has certainly delivered.

"Every day of the last 21 years has been different and I have thoroughly enjoyed the

challenging nature of the job and the friendship and support of my colleagues."

After starting out as an ambulanceman, he progressed to leading ambulanceman, and then station officer at Menston.

He also spent time working at Leeds Central Ambulance Station, and served for a year as an acting accident and emergency manager.

He is married to wife Josie, and has two sons and three grandchildren. He said he intended to spend more quality time with his family now he is retired, and catch up with relatives in Australia and Canada.