PASSING drivers helped rescue a motorist after his car overturned, hit a bridge support and burst into flames in an horrific motorway accident.

One put out the flames with a fire extinguisher from his own car and a passing nurse stopped to give first aid to the trapped driver before paramedics arrived.

Father-of-two Anthony Lee, of Barnoldswick, suffered multiple fractures after he lost control of his B-reg VW Golf GTi on the M55 between Blackpool and Preston. The car went through the central reservation, flipped on to its roof and collided with the bridge pillar before catching fire.

Stephen Ball, from Wallasey, Wirral, grabbed a fire extinguisher from his car and put out the fire. He was joined by nurse Leslie Ivill, from Farnworth, near Bolton, who gave first aid treatment to Mr Lee before the fire brigade and ambulance arrived.

Mr Lee, 34, of Coniston Avenue, was taken to the Royal Preston Hospital where his condition today was described as "comfortable."

He had to be cut free from the wreckage of the car by firefighters.

Mr Lee is a maintenance engineer at Barnoldswick-based PVC coatings firm Dermide..

The accident happened last night as Mr Lee was travelling towards Preston.

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