A CONCERT on Saturday will help a campaign to revive a rare life-saving award closely associated with Shropshire.

The Captain Webb Medal, named after a famous son of Shropshire who was the first man to swim the English Channel, has not been awarded since the 1940s. The first recipient was a boy from Ludlow College.

William Carpenter was a few days away from his 14th birthday when, one May evening in 1916, he and his brother Robert were walking with a friend along the Teme near Downton looking for birds' nests.

Their friend, known only as C Pritchard, suddenly lost his footing and fell into the river. William saw him under. He climbed along a tree trunk, dived 11 feet into the water and brought him back to safety.

His feat was recognised that summer at Ludlow College's speech day, when he received two awards. One was a certificate from the Royal Humane Society. The other was the newly inaugurated Captain Webb Medal.

Matthew Webb was born in Dawley in January 1848. He learned to swim in the Severn at Coalbrookdale and chose a career at sea. After becoming a Master with the Cunard Line, he decided in 1874 to become a professional endurance swimmer.

Porpoise oil

On August 24, 1975, he smeared himself in porpoise oil and dived into the sea off Dover. After more than 20 hours, the mail ship The Maid of Kent came past.

Webb recalled: "Never shall I forget when the men in the mail boat struck up the tune of Rule Britannia, which they sang or rather shouted in a hoarse roar. I felt a gulping sensation in my throat as the old tune, once more struck my ears under circumstances so extraordinary. I felt I should do it, and I did it."

Shifnal Brass Band escorted him back to Dawley from Wellington railway station. According to legend, as he entered Dawley, a pig placed its front trotters on the wall of its sty to watch him go by.

The silver medal carries Webb's head on one side Britannia on the other. It is awarded to anyone from Shropshire who saves a person from drowning anywhere in the world. Equally it can be given if the rescued person comes from the county. But in 1948 it was decided that it could go only to someone who applied for it.

"That's presumably why it hasn't been awarded since," said David Johnson, chairman of the Ludlow Shropshire Society in London. "People who save someone from drowning tend to go home, dry themselves and get on with their lives."

That rule is likely to be changed if Saturday's concert at the Maidment Hall, Shrewsbury School, stimulates new interest.

Joe Meredith, president of the Old Ludlovians, will talk about the medal and recall Carp-enter's brave deed.

William Carpenter's son Edward, who lives in Clifton-on-Teme, and his grandchildren is going to the concert with the medal and other souvenirs.

The concert, by musicians with Shropshire connections, starts at 7.30pm. Tickets at £10 include a glass of wine and can be bought from Caroline Frost on 01743 280810 or 07860 467505.