National newspapers reported that television newsman Michael Buerk – who presented the BBC 1 show ‘999’ at the time – rescued an injured man from an overturned vehicle in Apse Heath on 16th May 2000.
The 9 o’clock news presenter – then aged 53 – was driving with his wife Christine during a holiday on the Isle of Wight when they approached a blue Metro after it had skidded and hit a bank during a downpour.
Michael Buerk said:
“It was one of those nightmare moments when I stopped and desperately tried to remember the things I’d told people to do on 999.
“We were on a narrow, minor road, and we saw a car had hit the side of the road and landed on its roof. As I got out, I could see that there was a bloke hanging upside down.
“The car had petrol pouring out of it, and it was pouring with rain. There was a motorist who had seen the crash in his rear view mirror.
“I arrived seconds later and together we dragged him free of the car. It was raining and there was petrol all over the place, and the worry was that the whole thing would blow up as the engine was still running.”
Using his 999 skills, Buerk helped place the driver in the recovery position by the side of the road. He then slipped away without revealing his identity.
Mr Buerk’s involvement in the rescue came as a shock to the driver – Mr Crawford of Strathwell Crescent, Whitwell – as he had been dazed in the crash and was unaware of who had helped him.
He only became aware of the identity of Mr Buerk after being told by ambulance staff in hospital.
Crawford – who had been driving home from his work at Wight Salads when he lost control of the car – said:
“He and the other man could well have saved my life. The crash could have been a lot worse. I feel very lucky.”
A BBC spokesperson commented at the time:
“Michael came over a hill and discovered the car on its roof and provided assistance to another motorist who was already on the scene.”
So parking a car on its roof was common practice as long as 25 years ago…