Vet nurses' heroic actions to save man after Chepstow crash

Helen Parry and Harry Williams, deputy and nurse manager at Marlow Vets in Chepstow, leapt into action when a major crash occurred round the corner from their practice on Tuesday morning. 

The crash, which involved two vehicles, has left the main road into Chepstow, the A466, closed since around 10.30am this morning. 

According to Marlow Vets owner Glenn Marlow, his two nurses helped to keep the man alive while they waited around 25 minutes for the emergency services. 

Nurse managers Helen Parry and Harry Williams have been praised for their 'outstanding' actions when trying to save a man's life following a crash in Chepstow on Tuesday (Image: Marlow Vets)Mr Marlow said: "It all happened on the roundabout just around the corner from our practice. We all rushed over there, took bandages and swab materials and whatever we could find to help and called 999.

"We think the man had a heart attack, so Harry was perched in that crushed cab doing CPR and a lot of first aid on the man and trying to keep his airway clear while we waited.

"A first responder who was passing by stopped to give Harry some guidance. 

"Helen was helping to support the man emotionally, as between us me and her  were ripping out the windscreen with our bare hands - she's since had to go to A&E to get checked for glass." 

Following the immediate aftermath, where the man was taken to hospital, Mr Marlow said he was "very proud" of what the two nurses had done. 

He added: "They are my two most practical members of staff who are able to turn their medical knowledge from animals to humans and do whatever they needed to do. 

"I believe they may have kept the man alive while we waited for the emergency services." 

Mr Marlow also recounted how the first responder who had provided guidance, Resuscitation Practitioner Peter Edwards, had called the practice to say how impressed he had been with their actions. 

Resuscitation Practitioner Peter Edwards was passing at the time of the accident and guided Mr Williams through CPR with a defib from his car (Image: Peter Edwards)

He said: "Peter said they were outstanding in a very difficult situation - exceptional. These two were very integral to what we did today in helping that man.  

"We ended up sawing branches off the nearby trees so we could get to him. I'm so proud of what my team did today, and think they are heroes." 

The man involved in the crash has been taken to hospital for further treatment, and the road remains closed as of 2.30pm on Tuesday afternoon.