A DRIVER trapped and not breathing after a crash in icy conditions was saved after he was pulled from his vehicle and resuscitated by members of the public.

The man in his late 50s was found unconscious in a 4x4 after hitting a wall and crashing into parked cars on the High Street in Walkern at around 11.20am on Sunday.

Villagers and passers-by came to his aid but were unable to open the doors. A man then smashed a window and pulled the injured driver out. He was carried to a nearby house where he was resuscitated.

Two Letchworth ambulance crews were scrambled to the scene where they gave the injured man “extensive treatment” before taking him to Lister Hospital. He remains in the intensive care unit in a serious but stable condition.

Gary Sanderson, spokesman for The East of England Ambulance Service, said those who came to the man’s aid gave him a fighting chance.

“There is no doubt that the public’s quick thinking and life saving actions gave this patient a better chance of survival before we arrived at the scene. It proves that having a basic understanding of first aid can potentially save a life.”

Police shut the road, the main thoroughfare through the village, until 2.40pm while investigations were carried out.