TWO Wisbech builders, who rescued a man trapped in a burning vehicle just seconds before it turned into a fireball, are to be awarded for their bravery.

Damon Lloyd and Marc Winsor were among six people who formed a human chain to drag the man from the back passenger seat of a dustbin lorry after his feet become trapped under the drivers seat following a head on collision.

The man was screaming in agony begging for help as flames licked underneath the lorry burning his feet and legs after the dustbin cart was in collision with a car and veered off the road crashing into a hedge.

Marc, 31, and Damon, 34, who run Aspect Builders, were on their way home from a building job in Bourne when they came upon the scene of the crash on the A151 near Bourne in June last year.

Marc, of Knights Close, Leverington, said: “We ran out and saw the man screaming for his life, the heat was so hot it was fierce.

“A group of us linked arms and pulled him over the driver’s seat and through the windscreen, we broke his leg in the process. Five seconds later the whole vehicle went up in flames, it was a furnace.”

Damon, of Falklands Drive, said: “It was a decision we didn’t think about, if we hadn’t have done anything we would have had to stand and watch him burn to death.

“The adrenalin kicked in. The man was screaming please help me I don’t want to die, we are both family men, you think about your own and know you have to help.”

“It was all so surreal, we certainly don’t think we are brave, we just did what we had to do.”

The Royal Humane Society, who will present the pair with certificates of commendation for their bravery, said the fire was so bad it put the truck ‘beyond meaningful examination’.

The builders are among a group of six men who dragged the victim, 42 year old waste and recycling supervisor, Ian Simmonds, 42, of Ryhall, Rutland, to safety after the crash.

Dick Wilkinson, Secretary of the Royal Humane Society, said: “They all richly deserve the awards they are to receive.

“But for the action taken by these men he was facing an agonizing death as the fire took hold of the vehicle.

“It is always an act of immense bravery to approach a blazing vehicle. It could explode at any time causing untold damage and injury.”

The others involved in the rescue are Adam Lessiter of Boston, Sam Penhallow of Harlow and Adam Poole of Harlow.

Lincolnshire Police, who nominated the builders for awards said Damon and Marc’s selfless act of bravery undoubtedly saved the victim’s life.

Mr Lloyd’s family last hit the headlines two years ago when his partner Stacy gave birth to their second son Rio in the car as she and her mum made their way to the Queen Elizabeth hospital at King’s Lynn.

Baby Rio was born on the A47 near Tilney St Lawrence as Mr Lloyd battled to get back from a building job in London to be at the birth.

At the inquest into the driver of the car, who died in the crash, coroner Prof Robert Forrest described their actions as heroism.