Driver saved by hero policemen
Published: September 19, 2006
Two hero police officers risked their lives to drag a trapped driver from his burning car after it flipped onto its roof.
PCs Anthony Steward and John Parkes were first to the scene when a Suzuki Vitara hit a tree and overturned in Croydon Road, Beddington, trapping the driver and a passenger inside.
The two officers, who arrived minutes after the crash at 4am on Sunday last week, were able to help the passenger crawl out of the wreckage to safety.
But the driver was pinned inside the mangled 4×4, which had burst into flames and was threatening to explode.
Certain he would burn alive before fire crews arrived, the officers realised the only way to save him was to try to flip the car back over themselves.
With the help of a passer-by they managed to lift the burning vehicle and turn it back over onto its wheels before pulling the driver to safety.
By the time the fire brigade arrived the Vitara was completely ablaze and burnt to a blackened shell.
Both the driver and the passenger were taken to Mayday Hospital, in Thornton Heath, for treatment but neither was seriously injured.
Superintendent Chas Bailey, of Sutton Police, said there was no doubt about the heroism of the two officers.
“The life of the driver was only saved by the prompt action and bravery of this member of public and the two officers,” he said.
“We are immensely proud of all of them. They all acted in the finest traditions of the police service by being decisive, brave and capable.”
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