A quick-thinking white van man averted disaster by stopping a rampaging bus after its driver collapsed at the wheel.
Gary Welsh, 51, raced past the speeding bus before pulling on his handbrake and bringing the single decker to a halt.
The bus driver had to have his heart restarted at the scene and is currently in a critical condition having suffered a ‘medical episode’.
A quick-thinking white van man averted disaster by stopping a rampaging bus after its driver collapsed at the wheel
Gary Welsh, 51, raced past the speeding bus before pulling on his handbrake and bringing the single decker to a halt
No one else was injured in the incident in Wednesbury, West Midlands, after Mr Welsh managed to bring the vehicle to a halt shortly before 7.30am.
The 51-year-old, from Bloxwich, described the moment he decided to chase the driver, originally believing he was trying to drive off after taking his review mirror off in a crash.
Mr Welsh said: ‘We were driving up the road and the bus driver clipped us and took the mirror off. His head was down and it looked like he was on his phone.
‘I honked the horn but he didn’t shift and we stopped and Kevin got out. We thought he would stop but he didn’t.
‘I said to Kevin get back in the van. I thought he had done a runner.
‘At first we thought he’d pinched the bus the way he was driving down the road and I thought he isn’t going to get away with this.
‘I spun the van around and darted down the road. I was in fourth gear so I don’t really know what he was doing. Truthfully I thought he was drugged up.
No one else was injured in the incident in Wednesbury, West Midlands, after Mr Welsh managed to bring the vehicle to a halt shortly before 7:30am
The 51-year-old, from Bloxwich, decided to chase the driver, originally believing he was trying to drive off after taking his review mirror off in a crash
‘We had to try and get him so I drove in front of him and put the hand brake on to stop him and he crashed into the back of us.
‘We got out and saw he was slumped over the wheel and started to get him out.
‘The double door sprung open but the driver’s door was locked and we couldn’t open it so we forced it open with a crowbar while David held his head up.
‘We managed to get him out and lay him on his side. His eyes were wide open but there was no response.’
The man had his heart restarted by paramedics and was rushed to Walsall Manor Hospital, where he remains in a critical condition.
Emergency services were called to Darlaston Road shortly after 7.30am with ambulance, fire and police services all in attendance.
Part of Darlaston Road was shut off while they dealt with the serious collision. It is not clear how many passengers were on the bus.
A spokesperson for West Midlands Ambulance Service said: ‘Crews were told that having spotted the man suffering a medical episode at the wheel of the bus, a van driver managed to position his vehicle and successfully bring the bus to a stop.
Mr Welsh said: ‘We were driving up the road and the bus driver clipped us and took the mirror off. His head was down and it looked like he was on his phone’
He added: ‘I honked the horn but he didn’t shift and we stopped and Kevin got out. We thought he would stop but he didn’t.
‘The bus driver, a man, was found to be in cardiac arrest and on arrival of ambulance staff, police were already administering excellent CPR.
‘Ambulance staff took over treatment and the man’s heart was successfully restarted prior to departure for Walsall Manor Hospital but he remains in a critical condition.
‘West Midlands Ambulance Service would like to praise the van driver for ensuring the bus did not cause further injury, and the police for carrying out early CPR, essential to give the patient the best chance of survival.’
A spokesperson for West Midlands Police said: ‘Police were called to Darlaston Road, Wednesbury at around 7.35am this morning (October 19) to reports of a collision.
‘Paramedics are currently treating a man with serious injuries.
‘Any witnesses are asked to contact police on 101 quoting log 365 19/10/17.’
The bus driver had his heart restarted by paramedics and was rushed to Walsall Manor Hospital, where he remains in a critical condition