A policeman has described how he clung onto a crashed lorry to stop it falling over the edge of a bridge.
West Yorkshire Traffic officer PC Martin Willis was the first on the scene of a crash on the A1(M) on Friday morning which left a truck and its driver, who was trapped inside, perilously close to toppling over the edge.
PC Willis posted two photos on social media of the terrifying crash scene.
He said: “First on the scene of this collision on the A1M this morning and faced a vehicle balancing over the edge of a bridge with the driver trapped!
“After holding on to the vehicle to stop it swaying in the wind I can’t begin to describe my relief when West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue arrived on the scene.”
He held onto the truck for about 15 minutes but said it had felt a lot longer.
His actions were praised by followers on social media.
One person said: “You sir deserve a medal for that. Well done.”
One asked, how on earth did that driver flip his vehicle over?
PC Willis, whose regular job is patrolling the M62 in West Yorkshire, replied: “There was a fair bit of snow and ice on the carriageway...is really all I can say.”
A spokesman for the fire service said the lorry driver was recovering in hospital and his condition was serious but not life threatening.
“Emergency services worked incredibly hard together this morning to rescue the driver of this vehicle on the A1(M). The male casualty is recovering in hospital after what must have been a terrifying ordeal. We wish him well.”
Yorkshire Ambulance Service staff also attended the scene.
The crash happened near junction 44, for Aberford and Bramham.
