Gary Cleverly died after suffering a heart attack at the wheel of his car in Trowbridge on Saturday, but police officers travelling behind him immediately started CPR and saved his life.
The grandfather-of-six from Bath was driving through Trowbridge on his way home from Devizes at around 10.30am, when a heart attack caused him to lose control of his Land Rover Discovery – driving through a roundabout, into a lamp post and finally colliding with a tree.
Fortunately, travelling just a couple of vehicles behind him on the A361 Leap Gate Roundabout was a police car. First at the scene, the officers started life-saving resuscitation on the 59-year-old.
Talking to Wiltshire 999s, Gary’s son, Peter Cleverly, said: “He was unresponsive at the scene. Luckily a police car was travelling two cars behind his and saw the accident.
“If it wasn’t for the quick response of the first police officers on scene that gave emergency CPR, he probably wouldn’t have made it,. Their efforts saved his life.”
A short time later, paramedics and specialist medics from Wiltshire Air Ambulance – travelling in a rapid response vehicle – arrived at the scene and took over from the police officers.
Gary was taken to Bristol Royal Infirmary by land ambulance, where he’s currently being treated in their Critical Care Unit. He’s thought to be in a stable condition.
“His entire family would like to thank everyone who was at the scene and saved his life”, Peter said.
“His wife Kate Cleverly would like to also thank bath police who drove her to his side.”
