A man who escaped a burning flat by jumping naked onto the roof of a bus has been reunited with the driver who saved his life.

Mitch Cook, 47, was on hand to watch bus driver Andy Waterman, of Garden Farm, West Mersea, given a commendation by Acting Chief Fire Officer Adam Eckley.

The driver received the award at the First bus depot in Braintree, where he had been heading on the night of February 11 before his courageous act in the High Street.

Mr Cook was hanging from a third floor window at the Braintree Emergency Night Shelter (BENS) after a fire cut off all other exits.

The builder was naked at the time because he had been in the shower when the alarm sounded.

Mr Cook said: “The first thing I said to him was thank you. The man deserves all he gets. If it wasn’t for Andy I don’t think I would be alive.

“If it wasn’t for him I would have smashed into the road.

“There was no way of climbing down the building. When I landed on the bus I didn’t know if I was going to bounce off it, but luckily I didn’t.

“I think the man upstairs was looking out for me that night.”

A 19-year-old man has been charged with arson with intent.