Heroes helped man after crash

A woman and two men, all from Bourne, along with two police officers have won top national awards after a life-and-death battle which brought a heart attack victim back from the brink of death.

Thanks to their efforts he survived for six days which gave his family time to visit him in hospital while he was still alive.

A 68-year-old heart attack victim, also from Bourne, had collapsed at the wheel of his car and crashed in Cherry Holt Road, Bourne, on the afternoon of July 23 last year.

Passer by, Martin Keene, 41, of Woodside East, Thurlby, pulled him from the car and on to a nearby grass bank.

Paramedics had already arrived on the scene and were assisted before an ambulance arrived in their 30 minute battle to revive the man by another local man, James Nessa, 24, of Delaine Close, Bourne, PCs Rob Bentley, 45, and Georgia McCormack, 27, and a local woman who does not want to be identified.

Now Mr Keene has been awarded a Royal Humane Society Certificate of Commendation, and the others are all to receive Resuscitation Certificates from the Society.

Sadly the victim of the incident died six days later, but thanks to the efforts of those who resuscitated him he lived long enough for his family to visit him in hospital while he was still alive.

As well as the awards they are to receive the five have also won the personal praise of Royal Humane Society Secretary, Dick Wilkinson.

Speaking at the Society’s London headquarters as he announced the awards he said : “Sadly the victim of this incident died, but the efforts of those who tried to save him gave him some valuable last days alive in which his family could visit him in hospital.

“What took place was a wonderful piece of spontaneous team work and all involved richly deserve the awards they are to receive.”

No date has yet been fixed for presentation of the awards which follow a recommendation from Lincolnshire Police but it is expected to take place in the near future.

The roots of the Royal Humane Society stretch back more than two centuries. The Queen is its patron and its president is Princess Alexandra. It is the premier national body for honouring bravery in the saving of human life.

It was founded in 1774 by two of the day’s eminent medical men, William Hawes and Thomas Cogan. Their primary motive was to promote techniques of resuscitation.

However, as it emerged that numerous people were prepared to put their own lives at risk to save others, the awards scheme evolved, and today a variety of awards are made depending on the bravery involved.