Stars celebrate real heroes at Pride of Britain Awards

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Dozens of celebrities and politicians paid tribute to some of the nation's unsung heroes.

Proud supporter: Cheryl Cole took time out to celebrate at the event

A four-year-old girl severely burned while saving her sister from a scalding bath and a Marine who rugby-tackled a potential suicide bomber were among those honoured at the Daily Mirror's Pride of Britain Awards.

Gallery: Pride of Britain Awards

Celebrities praised the stars of the evening for their "wonderful" acts of courage and bravery as they arrived for the ceremony at Grosvenor House in central London last night.

Former X Factor judge Sharon Osbourne, who presented an award with rocker husband Ozzy, said Britain was "packed with driven, outstanding people".

Actress Joanna Lumley said: "I think it's lovely they recognise all sorts of extraordinary people and extraordinary things. It's wonderful."

TV presenter Myleene Klass added: "It's a real privilege to be able to come here and pay homage to people who really do deserve it and who are often overlooked.

"People who've been so courageous, so courageous you can't possibly imagine what they've been through."

The awards recognise acts of courage, selflessness and endurance and achievement against the odds by ordinary people.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown said winning a Pride of Britain award was better than winning a Nobel prize.

He said he was celebrating the winners' "courage, dynamism and passion" as he presented the lifetime achievement award to Sir Peter Mansfield, who developed the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner despite leaving school at 15 with no qualifications.

Mr Brown said: "There's not much better than winning a Nobel Prize but there is something
better and that's a Pride of Britain award."

He said Sir Peter, 75, of Nottingham, was a man "who, we can say has helped save the lives of tens of thousands of people in Britain and hundreds of thousands around the world".

Mr Brown said Sir Peter was "so humble, so modest, that he wanted to thank everybody except himself".

"It makes you so proud of Britain," he said.

"It's Britain at its best. This is a great country."

He said the awards were becoming a "great national British institution" and a "huge national event".

Mr Brown also said he became emotional, along with many celebrities at the ceremony, as he talked to 23-year-old Kristin Hallenga, who launched Cancer Research UK's CoppaFeel campaign after being diagnosed with breast cancer.

"She's a very brave and inspirational young lady," Mr Brown said.

"I'm very proud of her."

Miss Hallenga, of Northampton, said the ceremony was "insane" and "very exciting".

She said tears filled her eyes as soon as she arrived at the venue.

Spice Girl Emma Bunton, who presented her special recognition award, said she showed "real true girl power".

Mel B added that she was an "amazing and very brave" young lady.

The courage of the Armed Forces was recognised with an award for the UK's Camp Bastion field hospital in Afghanistan and two brave soldiers.

Lumley also picked up the most inspiring public figure award for her campaign to bring about a change in the law for the rights of Gurkhas living in Britain.

She said: "There was something about the Gurkha campaign that caught the heart of Britain. This is for the Gurkhas."

Major Phil Packer, who has raised more than £1 million for injured comrades, was brought to the London ceremony on a rickshaw from Edinburgh by adventurers James Cracknell and Ben Fogle.

They cycled the 450 miles over three days to bring Major Packer to the awards.

"That was nothing compared to what Phil has been through," Fogle said.

 

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