Jonathan Parlett, 32, and his family were just miles away from visiting family in Bournemouth when they saw a car fly up in the air and land upside down in a ditch bordering the M3.

Leaving his wife Claire, 29, and their two young children in the car, Mr Parlett ran towards the wreckage, which was just five cars in front of them, to find people standing around the crashed vehicle.

Seeing that smoke was coming from the the car and fearing that it was about to burst into flames Mr Parlett dragged the woman and her disabled child from the front of the car out through the boot - the only accessible part of the car.

According to Claire Jonathan 'waded in' and started to help with the assistance of another man.

"The woman and the boy were very shaken up but there were no broken bones and there were no other cars involved."

Mr Parlett, one of the owners of Funky Elegant Photographic Studio in Waterdale, confirmed that this is the third time he has rescued people from car crashes, having previously helped victims of less serious crashes in Moorends and Hatfield.