Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
World
Ruby Davies & Aaliyah Rugg

Hero lorry driver's quick thinking actions helped save man's life

A quick thinking lorry driver sprang into action after a man's car crashed on a motorway following a "medical episode".

On January 31, Kirk Mount was driving a full-laden 44-tonne truck on the southbound carriageway of the M6 toll near Burntwood when he witnessed the incident.

The 35-year-old who works for Mark Thompson Transport in Warrington, spotted a Range Rover stop suddenly in the middle lane.

READ MORE: Tributes to 'funny and caring' man found dead

Assuming he had broken down, Kirk manoeuvred his truck, gesturing for the motorist to move to the hard shoulder, StokeonTrentLive reports.

But it soon became apparent there was an issue after the vehicle suddenly moved off and crashed into the central reservation, prompting the dad-of-two to position his lorry across all three lanes to slow oncoming traffic, and investigate.

A couple in another car also stopped and it was found the Range Rover driver appeared to be suffering from a medical episode.

The driver was unresponsive and not breathing, so after smashing the window to get him out, Kirk pulled him from the vehicle and began CPR.

Kirk, who served in the Royal Artillery for seven years, said: "It was a combined effort by several of us to save this man’s life. It’s really nice to hear he is recovering. It could have had such a different, tragic outcome.

"My military training kicked in when I saw what was happening. My first thought was to position my lorry to protect the driver and others approaching, to prevent anyone hitting his vehicle and causing further incidents. His car was in a very dangerous position.

"I was a bit shaken by it all, but glad to be able to help."

Kirk Mount (StokeonTrentLive)

Luckily, a medical professional saw what was going on and immediately assisted with a defibrillator, by the time the ambulance arrived, the driver was breathing again.

He is believed to have had a heart attack and is expected to make a full recovery.

Boss Mark Thompson is full of praise for his actions, adding: "What Kirk did was amazing. We had a call from the M6 toll team explaining they wanted to thank him too, as he was their hero.

"We’re very proud of Kirk. It was a distressing and unpleasant incident, but Kirk kept his cool and used his military training to help ensure a happy outcome. We wish the motorist involved all the best."

James Hodson, M6 toll Chief Operating Officer, said: "First of all, we would like to pass on our thoughts and best wishes to the driver involved in the medical emergency on the M6 toll road. The M6 toll team would also like to praise the heroic actions of Kirk Mount, the Mark Thompson Transport HGV driver, who helped him at the scene.

"Our M6 toll operations team were alerted to what was taking place and, working in coordination with the emergency services, the M6 toll incident support unit was dispatched to the scene to provide assistance.

"As a result of the swift actions of all involved, the necessary medical assistance was provided, and the affected driver was taken to hospital to receive further treatment.

"We again give thanks to everyone involved, including our operations team, in their efforts on the day and we wish the driver involved in the medical emergency a full recovery."

Receive newsletters with the latest news, sport and what's on updates from the Liverpool ECHO by signing up here

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.