New Road Dagenham crash: Heroes rescue injured girl

Medics took the two injured to hospital after a crash in New Road on Wednesday (April 23) at 8.10am, near to the McDonald’s on Ballards Road.

According to the Metropolitan Police, the two were pedestrians who were hit by a car.

Both the 35-year-old woman and the girl, 10, have non-life-threatening injuries, but the child’s injuries are potentially life-changing.

Luke Collins, a uro-oncology clinical nurse specialist at Guy’s Hospital in Southwark, was among a crowd of brave people working to rescue the woman and child.

He was cycling on his way to Dagenham Dock to take the train to work when he came across the blocked road and saw dozens of people crowded around.

Police in Dagenham after a crash (Image: Louise Reed) The NHS worker estimates roughly 30 people were at the scene, trying to move a car which had trapped the injured.

Mr Collins said: “I saw loads of people just actively trying to move a car and I was thinking immediately, okay, someone’s trapped underneath it. And then when I saw his little girl, it was even more shocking.

“I was expecting the worst.”

Luke Collins has hailed the quick-thinking heroes in Dagenham (Image: Handout) Fortunately, the crowd worked together in lifting the car and slightly moving it to release the two.

“They managed to move the car from both ends, it was shifted from the front a bit and then shifted from the back,” Mr Collins explained.

He added: “It was quite heavy and not moving for a while.”

The nurse said it was “adrenaline” and “instinct” to get involved and help the others in assisting with moving the vehicle.

Recalling the incident, he said: “As the minutes passed, I kind of grounded myself – working in the NHS and doing what I do -and I had to think clearly like what’s the plan, what do I do.”

 “I think more people came along, got it moved and then I just kind of focused on the girl to be honest – just making sure that she was okay talking to her kept her warm.

“And then the emergency services turned up fairly quickly.”

A crowd of people as emergency services were called to Dagenham (Image: Louise Reed) While Mr Collins found the overall situation “heart-wrenching”, especially as he comforted the girl before medics arrived, he was proud to see the community working together.

He said: “It really made me feel good about people in the area and people of all walks of life coming together for the shared goal of trying to help someone.”

“Push comes to shove Londonders can be grumpy, but they’ll definitely come together in a pitch – great community spirit.”

No other injuries were reported in the crash and no arrests have been made, but enquires are ongoing.

Any witnesses are asked to call police on 101, quoting reference 1334/23Apr.