A senior paramedic from Sidmouth was credited for her 20 years’ service in a ‘poignant’ awards ceremony that saw her receive an accolade to match her late husband’s.

Lisa Craig received the Queens medal from Her Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant of Somerset, Lady Gas, on October 11.

“It was a lovely evening, I wasn’t sure what to expect,” she said.

Lisa, 43, met her husband Colin on the job, but lost him to cancer two years ago.

They wrote to the Queen, who had Colin’s award presentation brought forward so he could collect his medal for 20 years’ service.

Lisa said: “It was very poignant collecting my medal there.”

The awards ceremony was attended by patients who told ‘moving’ tales of the help they had received from some of the paramedics.

The mum-of-four added that she absolutely loves the job, and that you have to or it’s impossible.

“It’s such a privilege to be able to help people when they need it,” she said.

“I’ve got the best job in the world.”

Despite living in quiet Salters Meadow, Lisa has attended all sorts of call-outs, from murders to traffic accidents.

She joked that if she is still around to collect an award for 30 years’ service she didn’t know who would need the Zimmer frame, but said she wasn’t planning on going anywhere.

Lisa has added the accolade to a cabinet alongside medals from the golden and diamond jubilees and her husband’s commendations for his work as a signaller in the Royal Marines.