THE mystery hero who saved a motorist from a burning car is a modest father-of-two who says he would do it all again.

John Bulmer’s quick thinking and bravery may have saved the life of the woman after she crashed her car on a quiet County Durham road at the weekend.

Mr Bulmer left the scene after the rescue and others involved in the incident did not know who he was.

But yesterday, after his proud family contacted The Northern Echo, he said: “Anyone would do the same thing.

There’s no doubt I’d do it again.”

The 56-year-old, from Clyde Terrace, in Spennymoor, County Durham, was one of the first people on the scene of Saturday morning’s accident.

As he drove between Kirk Merrington and Chilton, Mr Bulmer noticed a Nissan Almera had careered through a hedge and collided with a tree.

He pulled over, rushed to the car and discovered the driver, a 49-year-old woman from Ferryhill, was unconscious and seriously injured.

Mr Bulmer reached through a smashed window to turn the engine off.

He and father-and-son Robert and Thomas West, who live in nearby Dene Villas, attempted to make the woman, who had regained consciousness, comfortable while waiting for the emergency services.

But the situation suddenly became more urgent when they noticed smoke and flames in the vehicle.

Mr Bulmer said: “We didn’t want to move her but then it started to smoke. The young lad brought water and an extinguisher but couldn’t fight it.

“Before I knew it there were flames behind her seat. I knew if it went up it would be quick, so I had to do something.

“The only way I could get her out was to pull her arms, she was in proper agony and screaming.

“I managed to lay her on the field about 12 feet from the car.

“Seconds later, it was engulfed.”

The woman was airlifted to The James Cook Univerity Hospital, in Middlesbrough, with a severe cut to the head, a broken chest bone and broken right arm.

Police yesterday said her condition was still serious but stable.

Mr Bulmer’s wife, Gail, who heard the full extent of his heroics for the first time yesterday said: “I think it is brilliant.

I’m very proud.

“He is just the type of person to do whatever he could to help then go with as little fuss as possible.”

Anyone with information about the accident is asked to contact Durham Police on 0191-375-2159.