England: Chopwell cancer survivor fulfils childhood firefighter dream
A cancer survivor has fulfilled his dream of
becoming a firefighter. Tony
Harvey, 56, ran his own window cleaning company until he was diagnosed with
throat cancer five years ago. After successful treatment, the father-of-two
said he decided to pursue his childhood dream and became an on-call firefighter
for Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service, in Chopwell, Gateshead. Station
manager Andy Nelson called Mr Harvey's story "heartwarming" and said
his "tough experiences" would help. Mr Harvey received the all-clear
in January and, alongside building a new landscaping business, he decided he
wanted to join the fire service. "It's always been my dream to be a
firefighter, but I always thought my time had come and gone," he said. "But
this time, when the recruitment call went out, I was fit and able to apply -
and I knew I wanted to give a little bit back to my community, if I could.
BBC World News