Express & Star

Warning as car flips on to side in Walsall

A car flipped on to its side on a residential road - before passers-by rushed to the scene, pushed it upright and helped the driver.

Published

A crowd of more than 40 people gathered when the dark grey Peugeot 206 overturned after colliding with another vehicle in Short Street, Bloxwich.

Walter Davis, aged 52, went to help the man after seeing the aftermath of the crash from his home in nearby Great Charles Street.

"I looked inside the car and saw an elderly man hanging upside down, suspended by his seatbelt," said Mr Davis.

"I asked him how he was and he told me he felt alright but couldn't move.

"It was obvious he was trapped.

"Another chap said he wasn't safe upside down in the car, so four of us pushed it back onto its wheels."

Minutes later police and fire crews arrived on the scene and cut the man from the wreckage so he could be treated by paramedics.

Mr Davis said the police had told him he should not have interfered with the car until they arrived on the scene.

He added: "It is normally fairly quiet around here and I certainly can't remember anything like this happening before."

Firefighters from Bloxwich fire station were called to the scene. They took to social networking site Twitter to commend the actions of the passers-by who helped the stricken driver.

They wrote: "The car ended up on it's side. Passers by tried to assist, gaining access and then righting the car.

"This has to be commended as so often we find lots of people watching but not helping and simple actions can save a life."

However, they added a note on Twitter saying:

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