Good Samaritans pull man from smoking car after driver suffers cardiac arrest and crashed into dyke

A Good Samaritan helped rescue his best friend's dad after he suffered a cardiac arrest and swerved into a dyke.
Ryan Aldridge -Sb52eJ-crYPg-KtEqLWRyan Aldridge -Sb52eJ-crYPg-KtEqLW
Ryan Aldridge -Sb52eJ-crYPg-KtEqLW

Ryan Aldridge was driving on King’s Delph towards Whittlesey on Monday afternoon when he saw Phil Storey coming the other way, but he realised quite quickly that something was wrong.

“He looked like he was falling asleep,” said Ryan (24) of Cardea.

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“I saw in my rear view mirror he had swerved and just missed me, then he swerved onto the bank. I could not get through so I parked the truck on the road and ran down.

“The car was smoking - he had his foot on the accelerator. Somebody chucked a metal bar and another bloke joined me. We smashed the window of the passenger side door and I climbed in and turned the ignition off and took off his seatbelt.

“Another bloke turned up and between the three of us we managed to get him out of the car and away from the vehicle. We were worried it was going to catch fire.

“We did emergency CPR for 10 minutes and got him back breathing before the emergency services arrived.”

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Ryan admitted he was panicking when he saw Phil’s car had crashed into a tree, but that the adrenaline kicked in and he knew he had to go down the embankment and help.

He said he was still in shock at what had happened, but that Phil’s son, and Ryan’s best friend, Hayden, was grateful for his actions.

The pair have known each other for years after going to Alderman Jacobs Primary School and Sir Harry Smith Community College in Whittlesey.

Phil remains in Peterborough City Hospital, and Ryan said: “Hopefully he can make a full recovery. He’s a lovely bloke. I’m happy I’ve done this but I just want to know he is going to be okay.”

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Ambulance crews were at the scene for an hour-and-a-half from 6pm on Monday, with the East of England Ambulance Service sending an ambulance crew, rapid response vehicle and ambulance officer.

A spokesman for the service said paramedics helped re-start Mr Storey’s heart before him taking by land ambulance to hospital.

Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Station Commander Ady Slack, who praised the “tireless” work of the ambulance crews, said: “Early involvement by the member of the public supported the ambulance service in their work.”

Ryan added: The ambulance service, the police and the fire brigade did a great job and worked together well.”

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