A former lifeguard from Bradford has been awarded a national honour after he saved an elderly man’s life by dragging him out of a car which had hit a wall.

Jason Mullock, 32, of Halifax Road, Wibsey, spotted Thomas Burton slumped over the wheel of a moving vehicle in Sticker Lane, Bradford.

The car crashed into a wall but Mr Mullock pulled the driver out and administered first aid for ten minutes until an ambulance arrived.

Gas engineer Mr Mullock, who learned first-aid while working as a lifeguard at Richard Dunn Sports Centre in Bradford, has been awarded with a Royal Humane Society Resus-citation Certificate for his actions in August.

He has also received a Divisional Commander’s Award, from West Yorkshire Police.

He said: “At the time I was shaken up with what happened. I didn’t think I had done anything special. You just stop and do what you can do.

“When I got the letter for the Divisional Commander’s Award I was really pleased and thought it was nice to be acknowledged. To be awarded for the Royal Humane Society award is touching, but I would hope somebody would do the same for me.”

The award was announced at the society’s London headquarters by its secretary Dick Wilkinson.

He said: “Mr Mullock was driving when he saw an elderly man slumped over his wheel in a slowly-moving vehicle. He turned round with the intention of trying to stop the vehicle hitting the wall, but was too late.

“However, he rushed to the now stationary car and pulled Mr Burton out. He was showing no vital signs. He then carried out CPR for more than ten minutes until the ambulance arrived.”

He said that but for Mr Mullock’s fast action and first-aid skills, Mr Burton would almost certainly have died at the scene. “Mr Mullock thoroughly deserves this award,” he said.

A date has not yet been set for the Divisional Commander’s awards.