A MOTHER has thanked a passing paramedic who saved her daughter’s life after she was knocked down by a car in Wickford.

Danielle Dresou, 19, had just popped out to meet her friend and go out to buy a takeaway when she was hit by a Fiat 500 in Cranfield Park Road at 6.45pm on Friday, November 16.

Her mum Julie Dresou, 42, of neighbouring road Caladonia Lane, said if it had not been for the paramedic only known to the family as Nicky who works as a paramedic for the London Ambulance Service, they could have lost Danielle if it hadn’t been for her quick thinking.

An East of England Service paramedic was on scene in 10 minutes and an ambulance arrived 40 minutes later- this was too long in Mrs Dresou’s view.

Mrs Dresou, who works at a mother and toddler group, said: “This paramedic saved Danielle’s life and we just want to say a big thank you to her for stopping and helping.

“She was passing by and stopped and came back to help Danielle because she had seen the accident happen, she saw she was choking and gave her mouth to mouth and kept her warm. She was amazing, Danielle might not be here if it wasn’t for her.

“My husband Paul was first on the scene and he heard the bang from inside our house and he thought someone had hit our driveway.

“It was awful because I was in Basildon town centre taking my son for a job interview and my husband tried to keep me calm by telling me what was going on by phone. Paul also took out a light to help the paramedic work and also blankets to keep Danielle warm.”

At first Danielle’s injuries were not thought to be too serious but after she was rushed to Basildon Hospital, where her worried mum met her, she had a brain scan and was found to have bleeding on the brain.

Danielle was then rushed to Queen’s Hospital in Romford to the specialist head unit where she was put into a medically induced coma for a week.

Mrs Dresou, who has lived in Wickford for six years, added: “Danielle is trying to get back to normal, it is going to take time, but she is recovering well. We don’t really know how this happened but I have been campaigning for years for something to be done about the speed.

“People drive down Cranfield Park Road too fast, the speed limit it 40mph, which is too fast. I have said to the police before that someone was going to get hurt and it ended up being my daughter tragically.

“There needs to be some bumps and better lighting because it is just one straight road which people drive too quickly down.”

Police are continuing to appeal for information and anyone who can help can contact Sgt Martin Allen at the road policing unit, in Laindon, on 101.