A SURGEON saved the life of a man seriously injured in a road accident.

The mystery man, who was off-duty, leapt from his car in Church Road, Blackrod, and ran to treat Martyn Eccleston, who was unconscious.

He turned Mr Eccleston on his side and cleared his airway to stop him swallowing his tongue, then stayed with him until paramedics arrived.

Mr Eccleston, of Chorley New Road, Horwich, was taken to the Royal Bolton Hospital where his condition today was described as stable. Villagers in Blackrod, who also ran to help, said the surgeon's actions probably saved his life.

The accident happened on Sunday at 8.45pm.

Mr Eccleston had been standing near to the middle of the road talking to the driver of a red Vauxhall Astra, when he was in collision with a Ford Fiesta being driven by Martin Eatock, aged 19, of Hill Lane, Blackrod.

Tina Moffatt, who runs the Red Lion on Church Road, was one of the first one the scene.

She said: "It was very lucky that an off-duty surgeon just happened to be driving by. "If he hadn't been there I don't think the injured man would still be alive."

Mrs Moffatt also praised people who formed a human chain across the road to stop the traffic.

Police are appealing to the driver of the Astra to contact them.