A 16-YEAR-OLD Tamworth boy was among three members of the community commended for their community spirit and assisting Oxley LAC police during the awards ceremony.
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Farrer Memorial Agricultural student Jay Worley was on his grandparents’ farm on the Oxley Highway near Mullaley on February 12 of this year when he noticed smoke rising from the road.
A B-double truck with 566 sheep on board has crashed and was on fire on the highway and Jay said he raced down there with Lucy the sheepdog to see what he could do to assist.
Sheep had spread across the road while vehicles were narrowly avoiding the animals and Jay said he set Lucy into action to round them up, and some of them were suffering from burns.
After working steadily for more than two hours, the sheep were all safely inside a paddock on his grandparents’ farm, and Jay fed and watered the animals while police continued to assist the driver of the truck.
Awarded with a Oxley LAC Certificate of Appreciation yesterday, Jay said he was privileged to receive the award, but it was all in a day’s work for the young farmer.
“He did a marvellous job,” his father, Steve, said.
“He’s a country boy at heart; had the animals looked after properly that day.”
Master of ceremonies Michael Moy said the young student’s actions had the welfare of the animals and road users at its heart, and had probably prevented further serious traffic incidents.
Although the teenager said he was just doing what should be done, the praise of one person meant most to him.
“My Pop just said, ‘Good on you mate’. That was nice to hear,” he said.
A father and son team from Werris Creek were also awarded the same commendation, after assisting police to arrest and convey a severely intoxicated man to Werris Creek Police Station in 2010.
Matthew Parsons and his father Stephen helped assist a sole police officer to restrain the man and were praised for their community spirit.