Accolade for teenager who saved life of crash driver

From the archive, first published Tuesday 23rd Jan 2007.

A TEENAGER whose quick

thinking saved the life of an

elderly diabetic man will receive

an award today.

Philip Bullock, 15, of The

Meadowings, Yarm, east

Cleveland, was walking home

at 6pm on Thursday, November

9, when he came to the rescue

of the elderly motorist.

The 78-year-old had crashed

his car into oncoming traffic

as he drove along Yarm High

Street.

Without hesitation, Philip

ran to the car to help the driver.

Philip said: "I heard a bang

behind me, but I thought

nothing of it and carried on

walking. Then I saw the car

with its front all smashed in.

"It was facing the opposite

way to which it had been travelling

and had brought the

traffic to a standstill.

"I knew something was

wrong and ran into the road to

try to help.

"I banged on the driver's

window and he seemed reluctant

to open it at first. I shouted

You've had an accident,

mate, I just want to help'.

"The man opened the window,

but as he undid his seatbelt,

he must have put his foot

on the accelerator and the car

took off again.

"I ran after it, and when he

stopped, I took the keys out of

the ignition and got him out of

the car and sat him down on

the cobbles outside the town

hall. By this time, all the cars

were beeping their horns impatiently

- I think they were

expecting me to move the car."

Events took a more worrying

turn when the pensioner

began shaking.

Philip said: "He kept asking

for his pen, and I thought he

must be drunk.

"But he said the pen was inside

the door, so I went to get

it.

"When I saw the needle, I

twigged it was for insulin, but

the man said I would have to

inject him. I had never done

anything like that before, but

he told me what to do and I injected

him in his upper arm."

The man's son arrived and

the emergency services were

called, by which time the insulin

had started to work and

the man's condition was improving.

Philip said he was annoyed

that other people passed by

without helping.

He said: "I asked one

woman to ring for an ambulance

on her mobile phone,

but she said she did not have

any credit. When I explained

you did not need credit for a

999 call, she said her battery

was flat.

"A man came over, but when

I asked him to help, he just

said he did not deal with these

things and walked off.

"All the other cars were just

peeping their horns - nobody

tried to help."

Philip, who has been a member

of Yarm Army Cadets for

three years, said his first aid

training with the cadets

helped.

He will be presented with a

General Officer's Commendation

by the Lord Lieutenant of

North Yorkshire, Lord

Crathorne, in a ceremony at

Brambles Farm Territorial

Army Centre, Middlesbrough,

tonight.

Philip, who is a pupil at

Egglescliffe School, near

Yarm, said his parents, Martin

and Linzi, were very proud

of what he had done.

He said: "My mother did not

stop going on about it. She

rang everyone to tell them.

"My mates at school said

well done, but they don't mention

it now."