When 'real-life Spiderman' Preston Likely rescued a toddler from an Oxford hotel roof

The 42-year-old shimmied up a drainpipe after the two-year-old climbed a ladder on to the 22ft roof in 2013.

The child’s terrified mother attempted to rescue him but also got stuck.

Mr Likely then held on to the toddler until firefighters arrived.

Preston Likely outside The Tree Hotel Iffley where a dramatic rescue took place

They praised his brave actions and later described him as 'a real-life Spiderman'.

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An eyewitness saw onlookers gasping in horror every time the child moved, before Mr Likely sprang into action.

The Littlemore-based artist and author said at the time: “I was about to sit down when I noticed a large crowd of people staring at something. I thought it was some sort of gathering.

“Then I looked up and saw the child on the roof tottering about.

“I threw my bag down without thinking and just climbed up and grabbed him. It was instinctive, I didn’t think, I just scrambled up.”

Preston Likely outside The Tree Hotel in Iffley

Given the risk of falling, the author and artist had to hang on to the youngster for about 15 minutes.

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He said: “He was wriggling about, and for a two-year-old was very powerful. It made it all the more precarious and I really had to squeeze to hold on to the little guy.

He said: “You don’t have time to process it while it’s happening, you just have to act and then think about it later.”

Eyewitness Linsey Denholm said: “I was reading when a woman came in and said there was a small boy on the roof and we should call for help.

“People started looking at each other, like ‘what?’ “So we went out and saw and it was pretty scary as he was up there and looked like he was in danger.

“Every time he moved we were gasping with horror as he could have easily fallen off."

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Namit Julka, who was manager at the hotel at the time, said the ladder was kept at the back of the hotel so it was away from the public.

He said: “I went outside to help, came back in and phoned the fire brigade straight away. We are very glad it ended safely.”

Preston Likely receives an award in 2013 from chief fire officer Dave Etheridge; Mick Boswell also got an award

Fire crews used a platform to bring Mr Likely, the child and the grateful mother down.

Later in the year Mr Likely was presented with a bravery award - the Chief Fire's Officer's Commendation - from chief fire officer Dave Etheridge.

Mr Likely said: “I do not know what ‘hero’ feels like. I am just pleased the child is safe and that everything turned out positively."

His artwork has included prank postcards and posters displayed in public places.