A DIVER from York who used his bare hands to dig an injured colleague out of a collapsed undersea trench is to receive a second national award for his bravery.

Richard Fila, 29, has just been presented with the Diver Of The Year Award at the Oceanology Exhibition in London, for rescuing a fellow diver in an accident during work on an engineering project under the Irish Sea.

The injured diver had been covered in tonnes of mud and stones while working on part of a seven-kilometre pipeline across Dublin Bay.

When he realised what had happened, Richard, of Bellhouse Way, Foxwood, reached the diver's helmet and restored his air supply before freeing him and helping him get to safety.

Richard has been working as a commercial diver for six years.

In 2002, he joined nine other National Life Savers at a special reception hosted by Prime Minister Tony Blair, to receive the Vodafone Life Savers Award in recognition of his bravery.

Richard's father, Steve, who owns a diving business at Appleton Roebuck, near York, said he was very proud of his son.

He said: "Richard was absolutely over the moon. It was an accolade from his fellow colleagues who have acknowledged what he did that day.

"He was very humble about it, but I had a lump in my throat.

"Everyone on the panel said it was a unanimous decision to award it to him, and he deserved it after his quick thinking. I'm so pleased his actions have been recognised."

Updated: 09:29 Saturday, March 20, 2004