The Peterborough Evening Telegraph
Volunteer tells of how he saved city man’s life
A special constable who saved a Peterborough man’s life after a horror collision has spoken about the incident for the first time. When Tom Guy was called to a collision in Cambridge at 6am in March last year he was expecting a run-of-the-mill shunt or minor injury crash.
But the scene he and PC Andy Gardiner faced after arriving on blue lights will live with him for there st of his life.
A Mini Cooper had gone into the back of a delivery van in Newmarket Road, just as the driver was unloading loaves of bread from the back.
The victim, 46-year-old father-of-six Anwar Ahmed, had been forced under his own van by the force of the collision and had suffered serious injuries.
Tom (22) had only passed out as a special constable six weeks prior to the crash, but even the sight of Anwar’s internal organs did not put him off helping the stricken man.
He said: “I heard over the radio that the ambulance was five minutes away but I remember thinking, ‘if it’s going to take that long they may as well not bother’.
“It didn’t look good with the amount of blood he was losing.”
Anwar lost his right leg in the incident after being given just a 50 per cent chance of survival.
He only made it through because of the quick-thinking of Tom and Andy who had picked up techniques from watching medical dramas such as Grey’s Anatomy on TV.
Anwar, who now lives in Longthorpe, has been in intensive care three times since the incident and counts himself very lucky to be alive.
He said: “It has had a massive impact on my life and also my family. My wife went through it all and now has to run around looking after me. I have to have a carer as well.
“The kids are suffering too seeing melike this and there’s things I used to do for them that I can’t now, like taking them out. It is hard.
“I have to live with it and get on with life. Tom was a lifesaver. He came to me twice in hospital as well. I can’t forget what he did.”
Tom’s actions on that May morning in 2014 have since been commended by the doctor and first paramedic on the scene and both agree they saved the victim’s life.
And last month, Tom was further recognised when he received a Royal Humane Society A war data ceremony at the force’s Huntingdon HQ.
The award is of particular note with this week marking National Volunteers’ Week.
Tom added :“Being a special makes you feel part of your community and it gives you life skills, like the confidence of speaking to people.”
Last year a man pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving and was jailed for 15 months.