In a scene that could have come straight out of an action movie, Simon Johnson, of Oadby, put his life on the line to save the stricken motorist after the car crashed into a field in Northamptonshire. Its 44-year-old driver had suffered a medical episode related to cancer treatment he was receiving.

Simon, 51, a retired police officer, said: "I was coming home from seeing my nan, who lives in Kettering, and I saw dust in the air like a combine harvester was working in the field. Then I smelled smoke and pulled over and saw a car on fire and people standing around just watching. I looked more closely and saw a man in the car - he was sitting clinging onto the steering wheel." Simon rushed over and found that the man was completely unresponsive and would not budge.

"I shouted at him and then had to literally peel his fingers from the steering wheel and I still couldn't get him out," he said. "I shouted at a big chap watching to come help, but his wife grabbed his arm and told him it was too dangerous. The fire at the back of the car was getting worse and there was a lot of smoke, so I used some choice expletives and the chap soon came and helped me get the man out. As we got him into the ambulance the car tyres exploded and the whole thing went up."

Source: www.leicestermercury.co.uk