Sir Nicholas Winton, who rescued hundreds of children from a near-certain death in Nazi concentration camps, has been awarded the Czech Republic’s top honour.
The 105-year-old Briton of German-Jewish origin said he was "delighted" to be honoured with the Order of the White Lion.
"I am ashamed that this is being awarded so late but a Czech proverb says 'Better late than never,'" said President Milos Zeman.
In 1939, as a young employee of the London Stock Exchange Sir Nicholas travelled to Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia, where he organised trains to transport 669 children to Britain saving them from concentration camps.
Sir Nicholas's efforts earned him the nickname ‘English Schindler’ in reference to Oskar Schindler, the German industrialist who rescued hundreds of Polish Jews throughout the war.
The businessman, who describes himself as “very ordinary", kept quiet about his mission until his wife discovered documents relating to it in their home 50 years later.
He was knighted in 2003 and his Czech supporters have repeatedly petitioned for him to receive the Nobel Peace Prize.
In 1988, the BBC programme That’s Life, hosted by Esther Rantzen reunited Sir Nicholas for the first time with some of the children he saved. Take a look:
