Hero lorry driver from Burnley saves motorist having heart attack on M6

Kirk Mount from Burnley helped save the life of a stricken motorist on the M6toll near Burntwood in Staffs by positioning his truck to shield the man from oncoming traffic, then dragged him from his crashed car and giving him CPR. Credit: Kevin Feddy Media Ltd

A quick-thinking lorry driver has been hailed a hero after he helped save the life of a motorist having a heart attack while driving on the M6toll.

Kirk Mount, 35, from Burnley, immediately blocked traffic with his vehicle before pulling the man from the car, laying him on the ground and administering CPR.

The father-of-two and former soldier was driving a fully-laden 44-tonne truck along the southbound carriageway near Burntwood in Staffordshire on 31 January when he leapt into action.

Kirk, who works for Warrington company Mark Thompson Transport, spotted the Range Rover stationary in the middle lane and initially thought the vehicle had broken down.

He manoeuvred his truck near to the stationary car and gestured to the motorist to move to the hard shoulder.

Suddenly the vehicle moved off, then crashed into the central reservation and rolled backwards, before coming to a halt.

Former soldier Kirk was driving a fully-laden 44-tonne truck when the drama unfolded on the morning of Monday 31 January. Credit: Credit: Kevin Feddy Media Ltd

Kirk, who served in the Royal Artillery for seven years, positioned his lorry across all three lanes to slow down oncoming traffic, and jumped from his cab to investigate.

A couple in another car also stopped and the trio saw the Range Rover driver appeared to be suffering a medical episode.

The doors were locked, so Kirk and the others smashed a window and then managed to open the driver’s side.

Kirk found the man was unresponsive - he had no pulse and was not breathing - so he pulled him from the vehicle, lay him on the ground and started CPR.

Luckily a medical professional saw what was going on and had a defibrillator with him, which he used to assist in the life-saving drama.

By the time the ambulance arrived, the man had a pulse and was breathing again.

He is understood to have suffered a heart attack and is expected to make a full recovery.

Kirk 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.

Kirk was supported by a couple and a medical professional with a defibrillator to get the passenger to safety Credit: Kevin Feddy Media Ltd

"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."

James Hodson, M6toll Chief Operating Officer, said: “We would like to pass on our thoughts and best wishes to the driver involved in the medical emergency on the M6toll road.

"The M6toll team would also like to praise the heroic actions of Kirk Mount, the Mark Thompson Transport HGV driver, who helped him at the scene."