THE Chief Constable of Essex Police was one of nine people commended for their help at the scene of a fatal road accident.

Stephen Kavanagh was off duty when he came across a crash on Essex Regiment Way, between Chelmsford and Braintree, in April.

A family of four from Dunmow were in a Vauxhall Astra when it was involved in a collision with a Chevrolet Corvette, whose driver Terry Harrington 67, from Chelmsford, sadly died.

The family, which included two girls, aged three and 18 months, were treated for serious injuries but have since been released from hospital.

Mr Kavanagh and the others were commended for their bravery, compassion and public spirit for trying to remove Mr Harrington from his burning car and helping the family.

Mr Kavanagh was presented with his award by Police and Crime Commissioner Nick Alston, before himself awarding commendations to Sophie Astbury and Myra Whitaker from Braintree, Michael Hall and Sally Taylor, both from Kelvedon, Ann Marie-Crowther from Chelmsford, Denise Freeman and Peter Hine from Grantham in Lincolnshire and Ds Paul Storey, an off duty Metropolitan police officer.

Mr Kavanagh said: "On that Sunday afternoon, I was driving along the A130 from Chelmsford towards Dunmow when I saw a plume of smoke ahead and a line of traffic. I realised there had been a nasty accident and put my blue lights on to help ensure the scene was safe.

"I found a red sports car partially engulfed in flames in the carriageway, sadly with a man trapped inside, and members of the public pulling an unconscious man from an Astra nearby – they had already removed two children from the back seats.

"Worryingly, the woman driver in the Astra was semi-conscious and trapped in the driver’s seat, with her door wedged shut. The fire from the sports car was at risk of spreading or exploding so, together with two men, we pulled the distressed woman out of the car and got her to a safe distance.

"Off-duty nurses started tending to both the man and the woman as plain-clothed and uniformed officers started to arrive. The officers first on scene tended to the couple and continued after the ambulances and helicopter arrived.

"Very shortly afterwards, a fire crew arrived and ran to the car on fire and I could see all the emergency services were at their best.

"An off-duty sergeant, Paul Storey, from Hackney, started to collect the details of all the witnesses and obtain a first account.

"On that sad day, the public at that accident were breath-takingly decent, brave and caring and the emergency services were prompt, professional, co-ordinated and compassionate.

"I was proud to have played a small part but deeply saddened we could not have done more for the poor man in the red sports car. This commendation is dedicated to him and his family.”

Mr Alston said: "I am delighted today not only to give the Chief Constable his commendation but also to meet those members of the public, who stopped to help at the scene of this tragic incident.

"It is hard to imagine being confronted by such a dreadful scene, but I do know it took great bravery and compassion on the part of all those commended here today to rescue and then help those involved and to attempt to save the life of the person who, sadly, died.

"I know the Chief Constable would want me to add that every day of the week, Essex Police officers and PCSOs perform acts of bravery and selflessness to protect the communities they serve. All of us who live and work in Essex, are fortunate to have such a professional police force whose members regularly put themselves in harm’s way to protect us.”