BRAVE schoolboy Javier Tucker has been honoured for keeping a cool head and looking after his mum when he thought his home was on fire.

Javier, 11, rushed out of his house, in Stanmore Street, when he and his mother Mary Green smelt strong smoke on March 18.

After hearing about the Holy Rood Junior School pupil’s actions, Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service awarded him with a special certificate.

The accolade is paying tribute to his bravery and level-headedness.

Mary, 52, who works as a travel agent, said: “I’m extremely proud of my son. I was on the phone to the control centre reporting the incident and I was a bit all over the place when they told us to evacuate the house.

“I called up to Javier, who was in his room, he came straight down and he was so calm trying to reassure me.

“He’s a little star who did the right thing and kept me calm. I’m so very proud of him.”

Javier knew what to do because of the skills he learnt during a workshop when the fire service’s youth engagement team visited his school.

Javier, who will be joining St Joseph’s in September, said: “It was really scary but I’d learnt what to do through the class. It feels really amazing to get the certificate as I’m one of only two people from across Swindon and Wiltshire to be given one.”

The certificate, signed by chief fire officer Simon Routh-Jones, was given to Javier in front of his classmates by the fire service’s youth engagement manager Debbie Lowe and group manager Kathy Collis.

“Javier remembered what Debbie had told him to do during the workshop and he checked the back of his bedroom door with the back of his hand to see if the door was hot, then he went downstairs and led his mum to safety,” said Kathy.

“He remembers that he was still in his socks and didn’t take his iPod or anything from his bedroom with him, as Debbie had advised him to get out quickly and not to take things with him.”

A fault with a microwave caused the burning smell in the kitchen of Javier’s home. Neither Javier or his mum were injured in the incident.

Mary said: “The fire crew were great when they arrived.

“Fortunately, the issue wasn’t too serious but at the time Javier didn’t know that and he was very calm nonetheless. I’m very proud of him.”

For fire safety information, visit www.wiltsfire.gov.uk.