Cold War hero honoured by grateful Germans

The profession's own Cold War hero has been decorated with a medal by Germany 27 years after he helped seven people escape from Soviet-controlled East Berlin in his MG Midget. Graham Coates, managing director of optical services company of the same name, was invited by a son of one of those smuggled out in 1971 to Dresden last month, where he was awarded a Knight of Saxony medal. (Less than 100 had been awarded this century.) Mr Coates, who has remained silent about his Cold War adventure until now - despite confessing to being 'in love with the cloak and dagger' - built a 4ft compartment in his car between the seats and the boot, reducing the fuel tank to one litre. It was so small he could only smuggle those under 5ft 5in, and all of the escapees were adolescents or students. If caught, Mr Coates, now 47, would have faced the automatic penalty of an East German firing squad. Our picture shows Mr Coates celebrating freedom with the last (and tallest) person he smuggled out, Yatta Harks.