A MOTORIST has told how he came to the rescue of a pensioner who suffered a suspected heart attack while driving across the Erskine Bridge.

Rab Adams, 49, had been crossing over the bridge, which connects Renfrewshire to West Dunbartonshire, on Saturday afternoon when he saw a distressed woman standing next to several parked cars.

He soon discovered one of the vehicles had crashed into a barrier and the driver appeared to be unconscious.

Rab then used a wheel brace to smash the rear passenger window and pulled the driver out before using CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) to revive him.

He admits he feared the worst when he first saw the stricken OAP.

The Gazette: Rab AdamsRab Adams

Rab told The Gazette: "The girl was on the phone with the police operator and she told me all of the driver's doors were locked.

"I went over and he appeared to be dead, as he was slumped over the wheel and blue. I said we should put in the window and the girl asked the police operator but they advised not to, as emergency services were on their way."

Rab, who undertakes regular first aid training through his work as an industrial rope access supervisor, decided urgent action was needed to save the man's life.

"I did CPR on him for a good three minutes before any signs of life started to appear," he said.

"When the fire brigade and paramedics arrived, they let me keep doing my CPR because they saw the guy was coming back and there was no need to take over."

After being successfully revived, the pensioner was rushed to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, in Glasgow, for treatment.

The Gazette: Rab Adams working as industrial rope access supervisorRab Adams working as industrial rope access supervisor

Rab, from Clydebank, added: "I've now spoken with his family and they say he is doing great. He is 74 and has eight children, 13 grandchildren and around six great-grandchildren, who are all delighted that he's okay.

"I would like to thank St Andrew's First Aid because, without them, I wouldn't have had the right training to know what I was doing.

"There are heroes who are doing this day in and day out for low pay, so I don't class myself as a hero."

Police Scotland and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) confirmed they had attended a road collision on the Erskine Bridge at around 12.50pm on Saturday.