A NORTH Yorkshire woman has been honoured with a prestigious award from the Polish government.

Bogumila (Bogda) Lake, 86, who lives in Easingwold, was awarded the Siberian Exiles Cross at a ceremony in London.

The award recognises Polish citizens who suffered at the hands of Stalin’s men in Soviet prison camps in Siberia, Kazakhstan and northern Russia from 1939 to 1956.

Bogda’s family was captured by the Russians in 1939, when she was just six and her younger brother, Josef Czekanski - who now lives in Australia - was three.

Her daughter Jane James said they were forced into labour camps in Siberia, where they were starved and indoctrinated.

Bogda’s mother, a doctor, was taken away and her family didn’t know if they would see her again.

They were finally liberated in 1946, first travelling to India - where they were eventually reunited with their mother, who had been desperately ill upon leaving the camp - before coming to England.

Although Bogda spoke little English when she arrived in the UK, aged 14, she earned a chemistry degree from Manchester University just six years later. She was the only woman on the course. It was at the university that Bodga met her future husband, Terry Lake.

The couple were married for 60 years until Terry died, in 2017, and had three children.

Her daughter, Jane James, 56, said: “My mother says she should not have this medal as she didn’t do anything. I disagree and I am very proud of her.”

The presentation ceremony was held at the Polish embassy in London and Bogda’s award was given to her by the Polish ambassador to the UK, Arkady Rzegocki.

Attending with her were Mrs James and her husband, their daughter Roseanna and her boyfriend, as well as Bogda’s cousin, Mr Michal Chodakovski, who had flown over from Warsaw specially for the ceremony.

Mr Chodakovski was instrumental in helping to get copies of the necessary paperwork from official sources in Poland, as all the family’s papers had been lost during their ordeal.

To top off celebrations, the Park Grand hotel in Kensington, where the party were staying, offered them complimentary breakfast in recognition of Bogda’s award.