A FORMER Crook man has been rewarded for his contribution to the development of a South Pacific country.

Bill Race, who lived in Billy Row, has received a recognition award commemorating 25 years of independence for Papua New Guinea.

Mr Race, a former miner at Woolley Colliery, in Stanley, settled in Australia in 1948.

After training as a state registered nurse, he was appointed medical officer in Papua New Guinea by the Australian Government in the 1950s.

His job was to patrol remote jungle tracks and visit villages to help to eradicate diseases among indigenous tribes.

Mr Race said that his initial encounter with a tribe was one of the scariest moments of his life, but he made it clear he was there to help and was eventually accepted by the chief.

He went on to administer penicillin injections to help cure a debilitating disease which was rampant throughout hill tribes.

As a sign of the tribe's appreciation, they gave him a ceremonial head-dress used in secret initiation ceremonies, with one warning - not to show it to any women.

Mr Race said: "I was told that if any women saw this they would be put to death.

"They are sacred and burned after the ceremony, but they gave it to me as a present for curing them."

Mr Race's recognition award was presented by Sir Silas Atopare, the Governor General of Papua New Guinea.

His brother, Lawrence Lowe Race, 88, still lives in Crook, with his 85-year-old wife, Agnes.

Mrs Race said: "It's not often someone from Crook is rewarded for their services to Papua New Guinea."