The family of Bath man Donald Freeborn, who died in September last year, have been presented with the Russian Ushakov Medal for bravery during the Second World War.

The medal was received by his daughter Ann Gibson on his behalf at a ceremony held at Wiltshire Council County Hall, in Trowbridge.

It is awarded to British veterans for bravery in defending Russia at sea during the Arctic Convoys and is Russia's highest naval state award. It was only last year that the British Government changed the rules, allowing British nationals to accept and wear the Ushakov medal.

Mr Freeborn also received the newly-awarded Arctic Star, shortly before he died.

Between August 1941 and the end of the war, 78 convoys made the journey to and from Russia, carrying four million tons of vital supplies for Soviet forces fighting the Germans on the Eastern Front including aircraft, tanks, fuel and food.

Mr Freeborn, who lived in Odd Down, joined the Royal Navy at 18 years old and served aboard the battleship HMS Rodney as it escorted the convoys on their perilous journey through treacherous and icy conditions to the ports of Murmansk and Archangel in what Winston Churchill described as "the worst journey in the world".

He was 89 when he died last September and had been a Bath resident, along with his wife Maureen who died in 2008, for more than 60 years.

He worked as a laboratory technician at Prior Park College for more than 20 years and during his time there ran the naval section of the schools combined cadet force, where he was affectionately nicknamed 'the Admiral' by staff and pupils.

Mr Freeborn was a proud and active member of both the Bath White Ensign Association and the Normandy Veterans Association, and a keen gardener, winning awards in the Bath in Bloom competition for many years.

Mrs Gibson said: "We're only sorry that dad couldn't have been here with us to collect the Ushakov medal himself. He'd have been so honoured to receive this special award and would have worn his medal with pride."