A DYING man who averted an accident in a town centre by stopping his vehicle before collapsing at the wheel has been described as admirable by police.

Andrew Willmer, 76, suffered a heart attack while driving his motorhome outside the Tesco supermarket in Burn Lane, Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, on Boxing Day.

Realising he was in trouble, Mr Willmer had the presence of mind to pull over on to a grass verge, put his handbrake on and turn the engine off, after which he may have suffered a stroke.

PC Andy Wells and PC Helen Naylor gave resuscitation with the help of former ambulance driver David Gibson.

Although they managed to revive him, Mr Willmer did not fully recover and died in Darlington Memorial Hospital on Monday.

Newton Aycliffe police said Mr Willmer, who had lived on the town for 50 years, should be praised for his quick-thinking.

Sergeant Ed Turner said: "It was admirable because it could have been a lot worse. He could have ploughed into pedestrians or houses and caused a big policing problem, but bless him he didn't.

"His wife is very proud that he'd never had an accident and, even when dying at the wheel, he still didn't. That's how diligent a driver he was."

Mr Willmer's son, Alan, who praised the efforts of police and hospital staff, said the action was typical of his father, a retired sheet metal worker.

He said: "He'd do anything for anyone - he always thought of other people before himself. He did that all his life."

Mr Willmer leaves a wife, Joan, two children, Alan and George, and six grandchildren. His funeral will be at Durham Crematorium at 2pm on Wednesday.