A Good Samaritan saved an elderly couple who were stuck in their car after it flipped following a collision in Wigan. Kieran Jones was driving along Wigan Road, Ashton-in-Makerfield, when he saw the car hit some cars on the left hand side before it tipped on its side last night (August 7).
Kieran, 42, immediately jumped out of his car and ran to help the couple, both in their 80s, who were both stuck inside the car.
He heroically lay down on the floor next to them for an hour-and-a-half, talking to them, asking them questions and making sure they weren’t confused, he told the Manchester Evening News .
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Throughout the time he was with them, he kept them talking and alert - and was later praised by the emergency services who came to assist, he said.
Kieran, who is a peer support coordinator, and founder of mental health charity Bridging the Gap, said he saw his grandad in the elderly man, and wanted to help him.
“I was out doing a mental health call,” he said.
“I was driving down and I saw a car hit a few cars on the left and swerve, then it tipped on its side and slid. I jumped out of my car and lots of people came from everywhere.
“I went to the couple, they were both 84. Other people wanted to get them out but I said they can’t do that as they could have neck injuries. I called the emergency services.
“The woman was up in the air. The seatbelt was hurting her. I got down on the floor with them, the windows had popped. The old guy's head was off the floor.
“I was on the floor talking to them, then an off duty firearms officer showed up. He was trying to keep everyone back so they wouldn’t move him. I kept speaking to him, asking his name, keeping him alert. I’ve never been in that situation, I just went on autopilot.
“An hour and a half I was talking to him on the floor. He was having chest pain. I was asking his age, his name, making sure he wasn’t confused, then the paramedics turned up, and I left then.
"I just stayed with them. The car could have fallen on me.
“I was angry as people were filming. I told two of them off. I asked the police if they could stop them from filming but they said they could ask but it was a public place.”
Kieran said he is used to helping people, especially those with mental health issues, but this was completely different.
“I don’t know first aid, I just went in, tried to stay calm and kept them talking,” he said.
“I just saw my grandad in him. If my grandad was in an accident I would expect someone to sit there and talk to him.”
Kieran said that the elderly woman didn’t want to go to hospital, and the elderly man only went as the emergency services wanted him to go for some scans.
Whilst he was unable to speak to them again afterwards, he said he went into ‘shock’ when he stepped away. He also praised the emergency services, stating they were ‘brilliant’ in their response time.
The couple had to be cut free from the cars after the collision due to the damage caused.
The crash involved two vehicles, according to Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service, with crews from Wigan and Leigh stations called to the scene.
A spokesperson for GMFRS previously said: “At approximately 7.15pm on Sunday, 7th August firefighters were called to reports of a road traffic collision involving two vehicles on Wigan Road, in Ashton-in-Makerfield. Two fire engines from Wigan station, alongside the Technical Response Unit from Leigh, quickly attended the scene.
"Firefighters used specialist cutting equipment to extricate a man and a woman from the vehicles. They were then transferred to the care of colleagues from NWAS and taken to hospital. Fire crews were in attendance for approximately one hour.”
A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Police added: “At around 7:10pm on Sunday 7 August 2022, officers were called to reports of an overturned car on Wigan Road, Ashton-in-Makerfield.
“Emergency services attended the scene. No serious injuries were reported.”
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