Gallantry medal for man who saved woman from car blaze

Luke Ridley was awarded the Queen's Gallantry Medal

A tree surgeon who pulled a woman from the wreckage of a burning car has been awarded the Queen's Gallantry Medal at Buckingham Palace.

Luke Ridley, 30, from Amesbury, Wiltshire, climbed through the boot then used his pick axe and handsaw to free the woman and drag her to safety.

Mr Ridley said he remembered being afraid the car might explode.

After receiving his award from the Prince of Wales, he said the experience at the palace had been "surreal".

Mr Ridley recalled seeing the car, which had flipped onto its side, on fire on the A303, near his home town in November 2018.

"It was a huge blaze... luckily she was able to stand up on her own and I just grabbed her and dragged her out," he said.

He joked that the fire service had tried to recruit him as a volunteer firefighter, but said he is going to stick with his day job.