A quick-thinking lorry driver helped save the life of a stricken motorist on the M6toll by positioning his truck to shield the man from oncoming traffic, then dragging him from his crashed car and giving him CPR. Kirk Mount, 35, from Burnley, has been hailed a hero for his prompt actions as he travelled on the southbound carriageway of the M6toll near Burntwood in Staffordshire.
Married father-of-two and former soldier Kirk works for Mark Thompson Transport, based in Warrington, and was driving a fully-laden 44-tonne truck when the drama unfolded on the morning of Monday, January 31.
A Range Rover was stationary in the middle lane ahead of Kirk, who thought the vehicle had broken down.
He manoeuvred his truck near to the stationary car and gestured to the motorist to move to the hard shoulder.
Suddenly the vehicle moved off, then crashed into the central reservation and rolled backwards, before coming to a halt.
Kirk, who served in the Royal Artillery for seven years, positioned his lorry across all three lanes to slow down oncoming traffic, and jumped from his cab to investigate.
A couple in another car also stopped and the trio saw the Range Rover driver appeared to be suffering a medical episode.
The doors were locked, so Kirk and the others smashed a window and then managed to open the driver’s side.
Kirk found the man was unresponsive – he had no pulse and was not breathing – so he pulled him from the vehicle, lay him on the ground and started CPR.
Luckily a medical professional saw what was going on and had a defibrillator with him, which he used to assist in the life-saving drama.
By the time the ambulance arrived, the man had a pulse and was breathing again.
He is understood to have suffered a heart attack and is expected to make a full recovery.
Kirk said: “It was a combined effort by several of us to save this man’s life. It’s really nice to hear he is recovering. It could have had such a different, tragic outcome.
“My military training kicked in when I saw what was happening. My first thought was to position my lorry to protect the driver and others approaching, to prevent anyone hitting his vehicle and causing further incidents. His car was in a very dangerous position.
“I was a bit shaken by it all, but glad to be able to help.”
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