Volunteer presents fire victim with toy engine		Operator who saved trapped family Brendan Montague Thursday November 28, 2002 The Lincolnshire Echo THE MOTHER of two young children has met the fire service operator who saved her family from a terrifying house fire. Victoria Featherstone (22) and her two children survived being trapped in a house blaze by following the advice of leading fire control operator Oonagh Speed over the telephone. Yesterday the two women met in person for the first time during a charity presentation at Lincoln City's Sincil Bank football ground. The family was also given money and toys that had been raised by volunteers who work at fire control, in South Park, Lincoln, where Mrs Speed is based. During the presentation the experienced operator described how the call was the most harrowing she had taken in her 21-year career. And fire service managers told how the family would have died if it had not been for the calm, professional way in which she dealt with the call. Mrs Speed said: "I've had one or two distressing calls but this was the worst. "It wasn't until I went home and I got to bed that it went through my mind what could have happened. Victoria was very brave." Mrs Speed had to calm down the young mother and her children in the early hours of Sunday, December 1 as firefighters raced to their house in Blows Lane, Sutterton, near Boston. The family became trapped in a first floor bedroom and the two children - Jake Burton (four) and 18-month-old Jasmine Featherstone - were choking on smoke. Miss Featherstone said: "The fire was horrible because I had Jake and Jasmine, my two youngsters, with me. "It was brilliant having someone on the end of the phone who knew what she was talking about. "I want to say thank-you so much - if she had not been there and given me the advice that she did I just don't know what I would've done. "When I knew the children were out of the house and everyone was safe, I just broke down in tears." She added: "I feel overwhelmed by the gifts, it's lovely. "Jake is going to love that fire engine." After the incident Mrs Speed was so touched by the plight of the family that she even asked colleagues to donate money towards Christmas gifts - including a toy fire engine. Her request was taken up by Prince's Trust volunteers working at the call centre. Together they raised enough for the presents and a donation that totalled £234. Prince's Trust volunteer quality manager for the fire service Julie Jones said: "If it was not for Oonagh that family would have died. "I have worked with her for many years and she handled the call faultlessly."