BASICS Dr at three and a half hour entrapment

A man was trapped in the wreckage of a car for three and a half hours yesterday evening, after crashing into a tree.

The 30-year-old from Woking in Surrey was driving a brand new Mercedes towards junction 20 of the M25 when he collided with a tree on the A41 embankment just before 5pm on Monday evening.

Fire crews rushed to the scene with the Rescue Support Unit, also brought in from Hatfield, after receiving a call at 4.56pm.

Three ambulance crews from Kings Langley and Watford were called to the A41, near Junction 20 of the M25 at 4.54pm.

According to ambulance spokesman Gary Sanderson, due to the nature of the call and the patient being trapped, BASICS Doctor David Gaunt, who is also an accident and emergency consultant from Watford General Hospital, attended the scene.

He said: “The position of the casualty in the car and the damage caused by the collision with the tree, was proving to be very difficult.

“The team of paramedics at the scene worked very closely with the fire service and Doctor Gaunt for over three and a half hours to treat, stabilise and immobilise the patient.

Ramps, winches and saws were used to free the man at around 8.36pm, and he was taken to Watford General Hospital with serious lower leg injuries.

Vehicles were left stranded for hours after the carriageway was closed following the incident.

Police were forced to systematically turn traffic around and carefully convey vehicles the wrong way along the carriageway back to the junction at Hemel Hempstead.