A hero policeman who helped restart a car crash victim’s heart three times has thanked two passers by who helped save the casualty’s life.

The head-on two-car crash in Colchester Road, West Bergholt, on January 28 left one man in his 60s seriously injured.

Mechelle Todd, an office manager from Fordham, was first to stop at the scene and she acted quickly to help the injured man and called the emergency services.

Within minutes Colchester-based Pc Matt Harkness was the first emergency service officer on the scene and immediately took control after realising the injured man had stopped breathing.

He carefully lifted the man from his vehicle and began CPR on him, helped by Adrian Stevens, and electrification engineer from Fordham, who arrived on the scene and without any hesitation gave a few breaths into the man’s mouth.

Within seconds the victim was breathing again, but stopped shortly after and Pc Harkness continued CPR with Adrian for a second time until they were able to get him breathing again.

The trio kept a close eye on the man’s condition, and when he stopped breathing for a third time firearms officers who had arrived with a defibrillator used the device to restart his heart yet again.

The team then made the man comfortable until paramedics arrived, and he was taken by air ambulance to Basildon Hospital where he remained in a medically induced coma for just over a week.

The man is now in a stable condition and his family have been at his side every day.

His wife has praised and thanked Pc Harkness, Mechelle and Adrian for their prompt response and medical attention, and the trio were also praised by the paramedics for their quick actions that saved the man’s life.

Pc Harkness said: “I cannot thank Mechelle and Adrian enough, without their help and quick actions the result would have been entirely different.

“They put their own lives at risk by stopping at the scene and did not hesitate in assisting with first aid.

“I really hope the man makes a full recovery.”

Mechelle added: “Without a doubt, I’m sure the outcome could have been entirely different if not for the rapid response from the police and Pc Matt Harkness, his unconditional control and determination to save the man’s life was truly admirable.”

The man’s dog was in the vehicle at the time of the accident and was looked after by Pc Harkness and his colleagues on the scene.

The dog was unhurt and was taken back to its home.

Adrian said: “Matthew was just amazing doing his job, he didn’t give up and was an inspiration to me. I believe the man is making a recovery and without a doubt he will have Matthew to thank for saving his life.”