Ipswich man who gave CPR in middle of M25 wins award

Chris Bridgeman, from Ipswich, is a Probationary Instructor (PI) with the Suffolk Army Cadet Force and saved a woman’s life at the end of November last year.

The 28-year-old has received the rare and prestigious Testimonial on Vellum and Resuscitation certificate from the Royal Humane Society.

The honour is awarded when someone has put themselves in considerable danger to save, or attempt to save, someone else.

PI Bridgeman, who has autism, has been with the ACF since he was 12, but re-joined the Army Cadets around 10 months ago.

PI Chris Bridgeman won the award for his actions after a woman suffered a heart attack on the M25 in November. (Image: Suffolk Army Cadet Force)

On the day of the incident, he was returning from work in Brentwood when he responded to an accident in front of him.

PI Bridgeman said: “I was driving home from work, a lady drove into the back of another lady. Unfortunately she had a heart attack. I opened the car, got her out, and gave her chest compressions.

“It was in the middle lane but thankfully working in telecommunications, my van is lit up with high vis and barriers and things.

I’m a little bit less at risk than the average motorist.”

Colonel Andy Smith, commandant of Suffolk Army Cadet Force, congratulated PI Bridgeman on the award and for demonstrating the force's values "at great risk to himself".

Col Smith added: "This was an outstanding act of bravery by PI Bridgeman due to the conditions at the time of the incident."

On receiving the award PI Bridgeman said: “I’ve struggled to accept it in terms of myself as an individual, because I feel like if that was my mum, or my sister, or other half, then I would expect someone to do the same.

“People ask me and I just say ‘that’s what I should do as a human’.

“If I hadn’t been a cadet when I was younger, I’d of never learnt those skills myself, so for that, all credit goes to the Army Cadets.”