A man has thanked the heroic police officer who clung to his crashed van to stop it plunging off a motorway bridge.
Thomas Dulson, 25, was trapped inside the Iveco van as it dangled 30ft over the edge of a bridge above the A64 near Leeds after skidding in icy conditions.
PC Martin Willis – known as Motorway Martin – gripped onto the rear axle of the van for a staggering 15 minutes to stop it from swaying in the wind.
It was long enough for emergency services to arrive who then rushed Mr Dulson to Leeds General Infirmary where he is being treated for two broken legs.
PC Martin Willis – known as Motorway Martin – managed to cling onto the vehicle for long enough so that emergency services managed to help free the trapped driver
The driver was rushed to Leeds General Infirmary but his injuries are not deemed to be life-threatening. West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service crews used ropes to drag the van to safety
Mr Dulson posted on Facebook: ‘Absolutely appreciate all the words from everyone, but without all those emergency services I wouldn’t be here to type this message so I just want to express my gratitude to everyone who risked their lives to save me’
Mr Dulson posted from his hospital bed on Sunday night to express his gratitude, saying ‘without all those emergency services I wouldn’t be here to type this message.’
The full Facebook post read: ‘Absolutely appreciate all the words from everyone, but without all those emergency services I wouldn’t be here to type this message so I just want to express my gratitude to everyone who risked their lives to save me.’
Speaking outside the family home in Bolton, Greater Manchester, today his mother Frances Dulson said her son is in a ‘bad way’ and most likely won’t return home before Christmas.
She said: ‘We are looking at a good couple of weeks until he is considered well enough to return home. Looking at the pictures, he is incredibly lucky to be alive.’
After saving Mr Dulson, pictured right, PC Willis (left) tweeted on Friday: ‘1st on the scene of this collision on the #A1M this morning and faced with a vehicle balancing over the edge of a bridge with the driver trapped!’
It’s believed Mr Dulson lost control of the van and almost careered down an A1(M) embankment.
The victim was rescued by crews from West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service who used a winch to stabilise the van and pull it to safety during a two-hour operation.
Halifax-based PC Willis was the first on the scene on Friday morning when the van crashed through a barrier near junction 44 on the A1 motorway just before 6am.
He used his bare hands to prevent an overturned van plunging 30ft and described how the van swayed every time a vehicle sped past.
But the modest PC, who patrols the M62 from junction 22 to 27, told well-wishers he was ‘just doing his job’.
Speaking on Saturday, he said: ‘I just saw this van on top of the bridge through the railings and contacted control to say, ‘I’ve got to stop here – this looks very serious’.
‘I walked on the hard shoulder to the incident and as I did so a lorry driver, who was not involved in the incident, shouted across to say there was a chap upside down in the van.’
After signalling colleagues to close the road, PC Willis grabbed hold of the van’s rear axle to steady it.
He said he did his best to reassure the man trapped inside, who has suffered serious leg injuries.
The crash happened overnight and the driver was stuck inside the vehicle although the police officer managed to hold onto the van to stop it toppling over the edge
It is believed the male driver lost control of the vehicle when it nearly plummeted down an A1(M) embankment. Pictures of the scene show the icy and wintry conditions that the driver and the rescue teams had to endure
‘I told the victim not to panic and said ‘we’re going to get you out of there, whatever you do, don’t move’,’ he recalled.
‘I then grabbed hold of the rear wheel and pulled inwards which helped to keep the van balanced. I was there for a good 15 minutes I think.
‘Every time a lorry went by I could see the van sway and I just thought, ‘It’s right over the A64, if this van goes over it will kill the driver.’
‘Of course, you’re also thinking ‘any minute now, something is going to come on the hard shoulder and hit me.’
‘It was quite a scary situation but this is the reality of the job we do.
‘Sometimes you do have to take risks and if you need to help someone, you need to help them.’
Picture shows the scene of a multiple vehicle incident on the north bound carriageway of the A1M near Bramham in Yorkshire that has left a lorry hanging over the edge of a bridge. A number of collisions have already been reported as snowfall through the night, coupled with freezing temperatures affected the region
PC Willis, who patrols the M62 from junction 22 to 27, poses with a chicken which he rescued from a central reservation a few months ago
His proud wife Helen Marie posted on her Twitter page: ‘Myself and all of our families just wish to say how incredibly proud we are of my husband @WYP-PCWILLIS.
‘Every day Martin, his colleagues and emergency services up and down the country do amazing things and deserve every bit of recognition they get £herohusband £mrsmotorwaymartin.’
Several social media users took to Twitter to praise the brave cop.
PC Adam Pace tweeted: ‘How on earth did you manage to do all this and get a photo? Awesome work. Thank you for sharing.’
He added: ‘Your superman cape isn’t in this photo though! Must have come off in the fracas!’
Sue Drew tweeted: ‘That must’ve been a heart-stopping moment!! Well done for holding on, and helping to save that drivers life.’