Sheffield binman 'saves' woman from car crash seconds before it burst into flames near Ecclesall Road

Video footage captured the aftermath of a serious collision, which a man at the centre of a dramatic rescue believes nearly killed a woman.

Former refuse collector Lee Campbell said he and his colleague were driving a bin lorry towards Ecclesall Road in February of this year when they came across a burning car just seconds after it had collided with a roundabout on Moore Street.

It was a dark morning shortly after 5am on Friday February 24, and Lee saw the male driver standing beside the car in a "confused" state.

Without hesitation, the binmen blocked the road with their lorry to stop any oncoming traffic and called emergency services, while Lee leapt from the cab to check if there was anyone else trapped in the car.

Lee, aged 40 from Fairleigh, said: “The driver couldn’t speak any English. I tried to look through the passenger's window but the airbags were blocking the view. It was only when I looked through the driver’s side that I saw a lady in the passenger’s seat.

“The car was on fire, but I just thought someone needs to get in there and pull her out.”

Without a second thought, Lee went in and pulled the unconscious woman out of the car and out of harm’s way. Just a moment later, the car burst into flames.

“I didn’t even think until afterwards when I saw how close it was,” said Lee. “I’m a dad with five kids and anything could’ve happened to me - but there could’ve been a child in that car.

“She didn’t have her shoes on. I remember pulling her out of the car and her feet were dragging across the floor and I didn’t want her to cut her feet.

"She was in a bad way... We put a blanket around her."

Emergency services scrambled to the scene of the single-car crash at the junction of Moore Street and St Mary’s Gate. The man and woman were both taken to hospital.

Lee said: “We were standing there for about 25 minutes until the police said we could go. They took our details for a statement and told us to carry on with our day. I haven’t even had a thank you.”

Six months on, Lee, who has children aged between three and 16, is still wondering how the pair are.

He said: “I always tell my kids you have got to help people if you can.”

South Yorkshire Police have been approached for comment.