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M25 coach crash: Ashford hero Dave Farr helped injured people

An electricity worker from Willesborough has spoken out after being one of the first to respond to a major incident on the M25.

Dave Farr was one of the first to help a coach full of passengers, after the vehicle overturned on a hard shoulder.

Forty one people were injured when the coach flipped over a hard shoulder barrier on Monday August, 13.

VIDEO: Dave Farr speaks out after M25 coach crash

The Princess Royal University Hospital in Orpington, which treated some of the injured, declared it a "major incident".

Dave Farr was driving from his workplace in Croydon to his home in Ashford when he witnessed the incident happen.

He was driving behind the coach near the A20 Interchange at Swanley, when he saw it tip over.

Work to recover the overturned coach (3660120)
Work to recover the overturned coach (3660120)

The 59-year-old from Willesborough was one of the first people to help rescue people trapped inside the coach.

He said: "I heard an awful screeching sound, like metal crashing against metal.

"I was only two or three cars behind the coach and I jumped out my car and ran over to help the people trapped inside."

Dave Farr was one of the first to rescue people trapped inside the coach.
Dave Farr was one of the first to rescue people trapped inside the coach.

Mr Farr climbed into the middle section of the coach to help free a group of elderly people who were struggling to get out.

"I didn't really think about the danger, I knew that people were in trouble and I needed to help free them.

"The emergency services took about 10 minutes to arrive and I felt I needed to help these people get out as soon as possible."

"When the fire crew arrive I passed the people over to them to help them out of the coach."

The fire crew and a technical rescue team arrived at the scene shortly after to assist with the rescue operation.

Three of the 41 people that were recovered from the vehicle were taken to hospital after sustaining more serious injuries.

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