The step-daughter of the driver who crashed on the A466, Wye Valley Link Road in Chepstow, at around 9am on Tuesday 7 May has thanked the rescuers who saved her step-father and brother.

Jennifer Cavanagh posted on social media:  “Our whole family would like to say a massive thank you to everyone that helped my brother and step-dad on Tuesday.

“Without your help, my step-dad wouldn’t be here today.”

Staff at Marlow’s vets were alerted by the owner of the practice, Glenn Marlow who had been talking to customers in the carpark after he heard the crash last Tuesday and ran into the surgery to shout for everyone to go and help. 

Animal Nursing Assistant Helen Parry, along with Registered Veterinary Nurses Harry Williams and Rebecca Wakeham raced to the scene to see a bin lorry embedded in a tree after crashing into a pick-up.

The driver was unconscious and a passer-by had smashed the passenger window to get to the passenger.

Harry climbed in through the passenger window to get to the driver and was handed a stethoscope by a passing doctor, but “couldn’t hear a heartbeat” and started CPR despite the steering wheel crushing the man’s chest.

Bea handed Harry a pair of scissors to cut the seat belt as she dialled 999, staying on the phone to the emergency services for 26 minutes waiting for an ambulance. 

Helen climbed onto the cab to get to the driver and without thinking “started cutting the branches out of the way with a saw that Glen had passed to me and pulling at what was left of the windscreen,” she said.

Passing motorist Peter Edward, a resuscitation practitioner from Llangwm, had a defibrillator in his car and hooked it up to the still unconscious driver through the smashed driver's door.

He determined that the driver was in Ventricular fibrillation so shocked the driver.

It was then the driver started to breathe.

A colonel from the Rifles’ barracks also stopped to help Harry with the chest compressions, while a retired GP and his wife, a nurse, from Devauden, came over and gave valuable advice.

Helen noticed the driver began to move “and he held his head up” she said.

She noticed he was wearing a St Christopher and began talking to him saying the saint was looking after him today.

The police and land ambulances then arrived and took over from that point and an air ambulance later landed and took the driver to Bristol ITU.

The passenger, the driver’s stepson, was shaken, but unhurt.

Step-daughter Jennifer said that her step-dad had been in an induced coma but now is off the sedative and is awake and talking.

“He has got a long way to go, but he’s going to be ok.

She added: “Thank you will never be enough, it really goes to show how amazing this community can be!

Police have since said the driver’s injuries were life threatening and appealed for witnesses.

Glenn Marlow, Marlow practice owner, praised his staff and said their actions, coupled with the assistance of Peter Edwards, helped keep the man alive until the ambulance arrived.

A Gwent Police spokesperson said: “We're appealing for witnesses after a road traffic collision on the A466, Wye Valley Link Road in Chepstow, at around 9am on Tuesday 7 May.

“Officers attended, alongside personnel from the Welsh Ambulance Service, Welsh Air Ambulance and South Wales Fire and Rescue Service.

“The collision involved two vehicles - a white Mercedes bin lorry and a white Ford Ranger.

“The driver of the bin lorry, a 54-year-man, was taken to hospital for treatment. His injuries are believed to be life-threatening.

“Enquiries are ongoing and we're asking for anyone who may have witnessed the collision, between 8.55am and 9.05am, to contact us.

“Anyone with dashcam or CCTV footage, can contact us by calling 101 or send us a direct message on Facebook or X quoting log reference 2400147455.”