Louise Price wins Royal Humane Society award over crash

Louise Price had room in the van for only one-hand chest compressions

A psychiatric nurse who climbed into a crashed van and used her clothing to stop a man from bleeding to death is to receive a Royal Humane Society award.

Louise Price, 31, from Merthyr Tydfil, resuscitated trapped passenger Adam Brinkworth three times after witnessing the crash in September 2011.

Police said there was a real danger spilling fuel could have exploded as Ms Price treated the father-of-two.

She was praised for her improvised emergency treatment and bravery.

The mother-of-one was coming to the end of her night shift as lead custody nurse for Gwent Police when she witnessed the accident which left Mr Brinkworth trapped in the toppled van.

It was the first time she had used first aid since her basic training.

She said: "It was frightening. The first thing I did was stop the car, turn it around and shine the lights on the crash.

"The van driver got out covered in blood, screaming that his friend was trapped in the van.

"I started tearing my clothes, trying to make tourniquets to stop the bleeding.

'Stopped breathing'

"I had to clamber into the back of the van to get to him, and as the doors shut behind me it was full of smoke."

Smoke was billowing through the van, which was being used to deliver newspapers, she said.

Ms Price said she had to pull bundles of newspapers out of the way to reach Mr Brinkworth, who was passing in and out of consciousness.

"He was in a terrible state...and I was trying to find out who he was when he stopped breathing.

"I had to start performing CPR to save him, and I stayed with him for 40 minutes until the emergency services arrived.

"I'd never done anything like that, but all I could keep thinking was I had to do my best or he was going to die in front of me.

"It was a night I'll never forget, I never thought he was going to make it, there was so much blood."

'Distinctive voice'

The conditions inside the van were so cramped due to the crash that Ms Price had to give one-handed chest compressions. She also gave Mr Brinkworth the kiss-of-life three times.

Gwent Police nominated her for the award.

Ms Price has since met Mr Brinkworth. She said: "He says that the one thing he could remember from the night was my voice talking to him, and I have a very distinctive voice.

"To be honest, my award is just seeing him alive today, loving life with family and children.

"I don't know how I feel about being called a hero, but I feel honoured to receive the awards and to be thought about in that way."