Boy gave life to save girlfriend

A 14-year-old girl described yesterday how her boyfriend saved her life at the cost of his own when he used his body as a shield to protect her from a car.

Paul Broughton, 16, pushed his girlfriend out of the way and took the impact himself, an inquest heard. He was thrown into the path of a second car and died of heart failure during emergency surgery three hours later. His girlfriend, 14-year-old Laura Gledhill, escaped serious injury. The accident happened when Paul, of Monk Bretton, South Yorkshire, and Laura were on their way home from a bonfire-night party. His father, Alan Broughton, 47, said: "Paul's action was typical of him - he was a very courageous lad." Laura said: "Paul ... saved my life. As he lay in the road he called `Laura', that was the last word he said. I thought the world of him." Christopher Dorries, the coroner, recorded a verdict of accidental death.