The train now arriving at Northampton has a guard on board with a New Year's gong

A train guard and scout leader who has volunteered his spare time to help people in Northamptonshire admits he was "a bit surprised" to get a BEM in the New Year Honours list.

Rob Moore, who works on trains through Northampton for London Northwestern Railway, was 'surprised' to receive the phone call asking him if he would accept the British Empire Medal for his commitment to volunteer work.

The senior conductor from Corby has worked on the railway for five years and volunteers as an assistant scout leader with the Sywell Air Scout Group in Northamptonshire in his spare time.

The 38-year-old has also helped to establish a search and rescue team, teaches first aid through the British Heart Foundation and volunteers as a steward at his local football club.

The BEM has been granted 'for voluntary service to the community in Northamptonshire' with the 38-year-old currently serving as Assistant Scout Leader with the 1st Sywell Air Scout Group.

Rob, who lives in Corby with wife Rebecca, said: "I feel humble to be honoured. I was a bit surprised when they called. They seemed to know a lot about me and asked me lots of questions."

The former Rockingham Primary, Beanfield Secondary School and Tresham College student is currently helping to run the only Air Scout group in the county based at Sywell.

Rob also volunteers his first aiding skills at Corby Town Football Club on match days to help with medical emergencies both on and off the pitch.

He served at his local adult unit of St. John’s Ambulance from 1999 to 2007, where he obtained his first aid qualifications, mentored new members and took on additional duties at the unit.

In 2010, he taught ‘Heartstart’ and ‘Young LifeSaver’ programmes to cadets two nights per week and he is passionate about passing down some of his invaluable knowledge and experience to younger cadets.

He said: "It was my ambition to be a paramedic but because of a problem with my eye I couldn't get an HGV licence required to drive the ambulance. I carried on following my dream through volunteering."

In 2012, he led the development of a local search and rescue team, training volunteers to assist with the Northamptonshire Police with locating high risk missing people where he was appointed trustee and trainer.

The following year, he established ‘Heartstart Rockingham Forest' with a colleague, an initiative affiliated with The British Heart Foundation to deliver emergency life support training to the wider community, enabling people to learn skills such as CPR and how to use an AED to restart someone's heart.

When not working on the trains between Birmingham and London, Rob teaches first aid and skills to the public and trains instructors.

He added: "A lot of people have been doing more than me out in the community. I'm chuffed to be honoured in this way."