AN engineer successfully fought against the elements to keep a hospital in action when the region was hit by freezing conditions.

His efforts ensured that Malton Community Hospital remained open and was able to care for 50 elderly patients as snow and ice gripped the area a year ago.

Jon Burn, 33, from Ganton in North Yorkshire, battled for 14 hours to keep Malton Community Hospital’s generator working after power from the national grid collapsed.

He ensured that essential medical equipment remained operational, the lights remained on and the heating didn’t turn off – potentially saving lives and preventing unnecessary suffering for the patients.

The hospital provides palliative care to vulnerable people, many of whom are in their 80s and 90s and Jon has worked there for outsourcer MITIE for two-and-a-half years.

Now his efforts have been honoured in a company-wide award scheme, MITIE Stars, which recognises and rewards people who go above and beyond their everyday roles to provide excellent customer service.

Employees are awarded at several levels throughout the scheme and the seven finalists each received £2,500 for their achievements.

More than 2,400 MITIE people were nominated in 2012 - but Jon’s story stood out and he was awarded £15,000 for his actions.

He was presented with his award by the company’s chief executive, Ruby McGregor-Smith, and now plans to buy a new car with the money.

However afterwards he was still modest about what he had done. “I was just doing my job,” he said.

“My priority was to make sure that everyone in the hospital remained safe and their care uncompromised.

“If my wife or either of my two young daughters were in hospital I would want someone to do the same for them.”