Nurse pulls child from burning car

A good samaritan who pulled a young boy from a burning car after a crash which killed his father has been traced. It turned out to be an off-duty female nurse who had shown "astonishing bravery" following the crash at Heath and Reach in Bedfordshire on Monday evening. Police originally believed it was an older man.

After pulling the four-year-old from the car as the flames spread and engulfed the vehicle, saving his life, the woman left the scene.

The boy's father, who was driving a Vauxhall Astra, died in the crash.

The driver of the other vehicle involved in the head-on crash was seriously injured and airlifted to the Royal London Hospital, police said, where his condition was described as "life threatening" last night.

Police originally said they were looking for an "older man" who was believed to have taken the child from the car and passed him to the off-duty nurse who was also at the scene.

But yesterday a spokeswoman said it was in fact the nurse who was the "good samaritan".

Police constable Andy Carter said: "These events are always very confusing at the outset and it can take some hours to establish the facts of what happened.

"We have now spoken with the off-duty nurse, who has been extremely helpful and we are now able to clarify the situation."

The boy was treated at Luton and Dunstable Hospital for minor injuries after the crash.