A SCHOOLBOY cancer survivor has been awarded a rare Scouting honour.
Noah Duncan is only the third Scot in more than half a century to be awarded a Cornwell Badge, dubbed the Scouting world's equivalent of the Victoria Cross.
It is only bestowed on young Scouts "of pre-eminently high character and devotion to duty, together with great courage and endurance" and has been given to Noah because of his campaigning work while tackling cancer head on.
The 10-year-old, who lost his left eye to cancer, could now be making a date with royalty at the National Review of the Queen's Scouts at Windsor Castle in spring 2014.
Noah, from Rosyth, Fife, took on rare cancer, orbital rhabdomyosarcoma, twice and has had to adapt to a new prosthetic eye, which he "co-made" with professionals, and acts as an ambassador for Cancer Research UK.
In collecting the honour Noah, who lives with parents Brenda and Aaron and sister Hannah, becomes only the third youth in Scotland to receive the badge since 1958. Chief Scout Bear Grylls personally wrote to him to congratulate him and tell him just how much of an inspiration he is.
Noah, a 13th Fife (Rosyth Methodist) Scout, said: "I love being in Scouts - I get to have fun, go on camps and complete loads of badges, and everyone there accepts me for just being me."
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