VIEWERS of popular BBC TV programme Scotland’s People have taken to social media to heap praise on Peebles’ first responder Craig Lusk whose outstanding service was featured last Sunday.

The show which is hosted by presenter Jackie Bird travels the country to celebrate the care workers, community workers and NHS staff who went above and beyond during the Covid-19 pandemic aired on Sunday night and Jackie introduced Craig’s segment by saying “Super-heroes don’t always wear capes. Sometimes they carry mailbags.”

The wife of a mountain biker treated by Craig after suffering serious injuries in a fall echoed her comments.

Tracey Turpin said: “We’d just had a great day on the trail when my husband decided that he would partake in the skills course to try and impress our 12-year-old. Dave actually broke five ribs, two of them in a couple of places. He had a punctured lung which was quite serious. He also had concussion having hit his head so hard that he broke his helmet into three pieces.

“Craig arrived and came running over with his PPE on. Dave was a bit muddled because he had landed on his head, but he really took notice of Craig as he was authoritative. Craig said that he must lie still and stay where he was as he’d had quite a big fall and really mustn’t move, and he stopped trying to get up.”

Colleague Sam Grieve from the Scottish Ambulance Service added: “When someone is in cardiac arrest or having a medical emergency, every minute that passes by there is a ten to twenty percent less chance of survival. So someone getting there very quickly, and that’s what the volunteer community first responders do can completely be the difference between life and death. Craig is one of these guys who never ever thinks that he deserves recognition but he really does.”

Craig was also delighted to meet former Celtic skipper Jackie MacNamara who said: “I was fortunate to have people save my life after suffering an aneurism just over 18-months ago. Had it not been for the speed of the paramedics and first responders at the time I wouldn’t he here today so I can relate to the stories I hear about Craig and the fantastic job that he does.”

The modest postman said: “I am not a first responder to get recognition, I do it for the people of Peebles. I care about my town and have lived here all my life and it’s good to put something back. It’s been the making of me to be honest.”