Hero dad Ian awarded Certificate of Merit after saving man from burning car

A brave father of five who saved an unconscious man from a burning car has been awarded with a Certificate of Merit from the fire service.

Ian Rigby, 37, of Walsham-le-Willows, had been shopping at the East of England Co-op in Ashfield Road, Elmswell, on May 10 this year when he noticed a car had crashed into a tree on the road.

"I didn't see the accident but I went over and saw that the driver was unconscious in the front seat," said Ian, who is a lorry driver for Build Base in Thetford.

"Two women were already phoning an ambulance but while I was talking to them I saw smoke coming from the car. It was going and it was going quick so I knew I had to get him out."

Ian was unable to get in through the driver's side of the car, which had fallen into a ditch, so had to drag the man, who was in his 40s, out of the passenger side.

"I got him out and dragged him away from the car. His legs were on fire and some guys came over and helped me put them out," he said.

"A second later I turned round and the car was engulfed in flames. If I had been any later, he'd have died."

Ian, who lives with his partner Julie-Anne Baxter and their five daughters, Charlie, 14, Jessica, 11, Emily, nine, Maisie, six, and Ella-Marie, who at the time was only one month old, added that it didn't cross his mind to stand by and do nothing.

"You don't really think about the dangers at the time. It wasn't until later I thought about what effect it might have had on me, Julie-Anne and my daughters," he said.

"But I wasn't going to just watch someone burn to death."

The man suffered life-changing injuries and was airlifted to Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridge.

"We're trying to find out how he is now because I'd like to meet him and wish him well in person," said Ian.

"I hope he's doing well now and is getting better."

Ian was awarded with the Certificate of Merit for bravery at an awards ceremony at Ipswich East Fire Station on Wednesday night, after having been nominated by Watch Commander Henry Griffin and Area Commander Ian Bowell from Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service, who had attended the scene.

"It's nice to be nominated but I don't think of myself as a hero. I was just in the right place at the right time really," said Ian.

"I just did what I had to do and I think most people would have done the same."

Aimee Montgomery, Georgina Rose, Damien Brinkley and Michael Sayer were also presented with certificates for their actions during the incident.