Builders to the rescue in Bedhampton crash drama

A HERO has spoken of the moment he and his boss pulled an elderly woman from the smoking mangled wreck of a car.
The aftermath of the accident at Bedhampton Picture: Harry LewisThe aftermath of the accident at Bedhampton Picture: Harry Lewis
The aftermath of the accident at Bedhampton Picture: Harry Lewis

Harry Lewis was on his way to work when he and his boss came across the aftermath of a serious accident just before the junction at Broadmarsh in Bedhampton.

The 20-year-old, from Leigh Park, said: ‘We came off the roundabout and saw straight away there had been a nasty accident.

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‘There seemed to be lots of people milling around but no-one was doing anything.’

Builders Harry and his boss – who does not wish to be named – leapt out and flagged down a passing lorry to use their fire extinguisher before trying to rescue the women.

He added: ‘It looked really bad with the smoke so we managed to get an extinguisher and doused the engine in powder.

‘We opened the back door of a Mercedes and there was an old lady facing the wrong way, stuck in the footwell.

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‘We went to get her our but she asked us to help the others first.

‘The old lady in the front had smashed her wrist.

‘We lifted her out of the car and sat her in the back of the van where my boss bandaged her wrist.

‘She was in shock.’

Harry, who works for Safeguard, said he acted instinctively.

Eyewitnesses said the accident happened when the Mercedes swerved on to the wrong side of the road.

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The driver of one the other vehicles, Shane Wildman, says his Ford S Max has been written off.

The two cars collided head-on, on the southbound dual-carriageway at 8.20am yesterday.

Shane, a 23-year-old father of two, managed to walk away from the wreckage.

Shane, who lives in Drayton, said: ‘I was not expecting that on my way to work.

‘I have a disabled son and a 10-month-old.

‘I’m just glad they weren’t in the car at the time.

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‘It would have been awful if the other car had hit a mum taking her children to school.’

Harry was treated by paramedics at the scene for shock, cuts and bruises.

Four other people were hurt, one seriously, but they did not sustain life-threatening injuries.

They were taken to Queen Alexandra Hospital, Cosham.

The Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance was called to the scene but was not needed in the end.

Anyone who witnessed the accident should call police on 101 quoting 44160149070.