News Year Honour goes to compassionate lorry driver who was a 'hero' to Havant mum in horror crash on the M3

Havant resident Gwen Rickman, 62, was driving along the motorway northbound to visit her son on a rainy day in July, when she moved over to the inside lane while passing a lorry.

Gwen’s car slid over a large pool of water on the road, causing her car to aquaplane off the road and then down a 20-feet drop.

Lorry supervisor Alex Manser saw the incident unfold, rushed to the wrecked car, and remained by Gwen’s side until the arrival of the emergency services.

The pair have since been reunited after Gwen’s recovery from accident, which Alex said was like something from a ‘horror movie’.

Alex said: ‘We’ve stayed in touch – we text quite a lot. We’d like to meet up again at some point.’

Speaking to The News after the incident, Gwen said: ‘He is my hero. He was so calm, so reassuring. When I think of the accident, I don’t feel scared – I just remember Alex.’

Now the 24-year-old says to be included in the News Year Honours is a ‘great’ start to the New Year – and he remains committed to rush into action if ever witnesses another accident.

He said: ‘I would stop in the future. It’s one of those things you never expect – you can’t prepare for it. You just have to do it.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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