William Bray, 66, of Upper Barresdale, Alnwick, was on hand to rescue 10-year-old Chantelle Mavin after she was hit by the out-of-control Ford Focus and wedged against a garden fence.

Chantelle had been walking home from her grandmother's house when the vehicle mounted the pavement and struck her at the corner of Lower Barresdale and Cedar Grove.

Despite her Easter Sunday ordeal, Chantelle escaped with minor injuries. But William, who witnessed the crash, feared it was a lot worse.

He said: "When I saw the bairn I just jumped out of my car. I didn't think about anything else.

"When I saw her up against the fence I thought 'God no!'.

"I thought the wood had gone right through her. It was sticking out the side of her stomach and went down into her jeans.

"It looked as though it could have been fatal. I was welling up – I thought the worst.

"Somebody said some change in her pocket had saved her, stopping the fence going through her."

William, who knows Chantelle and her family well, managed to free her from the wreckage by rocking the car and lifting her out.

He laid her on the pavement, having reassured her the whole time, and residents came out with blankets. She was then treated by firefighters and paramedics.

Father-of-three William also revealed how the Ford Focus had narrowly missed his car moments before it mowed down Chantelle.

He said: "The car swung round on the wrong side of the road and missed my car by about two feet. It went onto the pavement and hit her front on, pushing her against the fence. She was screaming.

"I put my hand brake on, I never stopped the engine and rushed over to her.

Chantelle, who attends the Duke's Middle School, was taken to Wansbeck Hospital before being transferred to North Tyneside General amid fears of internal bleeding. She was detained for observations and checks but was released on Easter Monday.

She escaped the accident with bruising and swelling to her legs, hips and stomach.

Mum Mandy Armstrong, 39, also of Upper Barresdale, praised William's heroics and thanked everybody who helped, from residents to hospital staff.

She also spoke of her relief following her daughters ordeal.

She said: "We've had a lucky escape!

"If it was a smaller child they wouldn't have had much chance and they would have sustained a lot more injuries.


"The hospital have said it could have been worse and I am just so pleased that it wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be when I got to the scene."

Speaking at her house on Tuesday, brave Chantelle, who is recovering with Mandy, along with dad Lee Mavin, 38 and brother Lee, 18, recalled: "I was coming home and the car lost control and went up on the pavement. I got caught between the car and the fence.

"I screamed and I was scared.