A BOLTON nurse has told how she helped save the life of a crash victim who was upside down and choking as fire broke out in his overturned car.

Lesley Ivill, aged 44, from Brookhouse Avenue, Farnworth, put her years of training into action when she witnessed the motorway accident, despite having a broken hand.

As reported in last night's BEN, her rapid response won glowing praise from Lancashire police.

The nurse, who has more than 20 years' experience, halted the traffic, helped to put out an engine fire and cleared the victim's breathing . . . all with one hand in plaster.

She was travelling home from Blackpool on the M55 with her family when the accident happened close to the junction with the M6.

Lesley found Anthony Lee, 35, of Barnoldswick, trapped in the wreckage of his Golf GTI, which had shot over the crash barrier, hit a bridge stanchion and overturned.

Lesley ran to the central reservation and stood waving her arms to stop oncoming cars. She said today: "The driver was hanging upside down and a fire had started in the engine.

"I knew we should not move him out, so I asked around to see if any of the drivers had a fire extinguisher in their car.

"Amazingly, one of them did so we managed to put the fire out. The car was in a terrible mess.

"The man was hanging upside down and started choking. I realised we needed to sort out his breathing.

"I held his head up and felt it soaked in blood. I called out to another other man who had stopped to help me support his head. We found an inside piece of door lying close by so folded it in half and used that.

"His mouth was full of blood which I cleared, but he was still choking, and I found it was actually a piece of spearmint he had lodged in his throat.

"Once that was removed he was able to breathe easier.

"It took about an hour and a half for him to be released, but during that time he came round and started talking to me."

Lesley, who broke her right hand at work, said: "I did what I was trained to do."

Mr Lee, of Barnoldswick, suffered multiple injuries, but is recovering at Royal Preston Hospital.

Lesley, who is a founder member of the Heart-Start Group which travels around Little Hulton schools showing people how to carry out first aid, was praised by Lancashire police. They also praised the other motorist Mr Stephen Ball, of Wallasey. A spokesman said: "Lesley was an angel. I will be doing my very best to ensure that she is recognised for what she did."

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