A SIX-year-old boy from a Herefordshire village has been recognised for being wise beyond his years after showing love and support to his parents after the stillbirth of their first baby.

Freddie Pugh from Eardisley, near Kington, has won Tommy's national super sibling award, which recognises a big brother or sister after the loss or early arrival of a baby brother or sister.

Freddie was nominated by his mum Linzie Pugh, 33, because of the strength he gave her and her husband, Liam, after the stillbirth of their first baby, Lola.

"Freddie really is one in a million, he has a huge heart and is full of compassion for others around him," Mrs Pugh said.

"To say that he saved me sounds dramatic, but I whole-heartedly feel that he did and will go one to do amazing things.

"He wants to do something sponsored every May for Lola's birthday now and he will never fully understand how much this distraction from a really hard month helps me."

In May 2011, Lola was stillborn at 39 weeks, but in 2012 the couple welcomed their rainbow baby, Freddie. In 2017 he started fundraising and ran around the local green three times, covering a mile, and raised more than £1,200 for charity.

Then in May he held his own fundraiser on what would have been Lola's eighth birthday, and cycled eight miles.

Mrs Pugh added: "I also have a daughter called Matilda, who is two. Freddie is amazing with her, and tells her all about Lola and involves her in his fundraising too."

Tommy's, who handed out the award, is the largest UK charity funding research to prevent stillbirth, carrying out vital research to understand the case of stillbirth so babies at risk can be helped in time.

The winners were announced at an awards ceremony on July 11 at the Oxo Tower in London and were presented by celebrity mum and author Giovanna Fletcher and attended by Emily Andre, Frankie Bridge, Clemmie Hooper and Izzy Judd.