THE family of an 83-year-old motorist who veered across a busy Cleethorpes road to avoid oncoming cars when he apparently fell ill at the wheel have said how "proud" they are of him.
Peugeot driver Arthur Wardle was pronounced dead at the Diana, Princess Of Wales Hospital, Grimsby, after his car crossed over Humberston Road and collided with a hedgerow yesterday.
As reported on www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk, the crash happened at shortly before midday yesterday on the busy road close to the junction with Denby Drive.
The former dockworker is understood to have become ill suddenly and is thought to have steered his car to avoid other motorists and prevent further tragedy which could have claimed more lives, an eyewitness said.
Sandra Holt posted a message on the Grimsby Telegraph's Facebook page urging the family of the driver to be proud of him because of his "selfless" actions in steering away from other cars.
She also praised those who gave first aid at the scene before the arrival of paramedics.
She said: "We were in the car behind him. The old chap's family want to be proud of him. He swerved into the hedgerow so as not to go into oncoming traffic. So sad but the emergency services did a fantastic job and the operator talked through everything. Special mention to the motorist who was constantly helping the chap and also to Lives in coming in minutes."
Mr Wardle's family today said they were "proud" of his apparent actions in trying to steer his car to avoid danger to other road users. His daughter, Lisa Mitchell, of Cleethorpes, said the comment on Facebook was a "really nice touch" that had helped make the family feel better. "We are proud of him," she said. "He was lovely. He would do anything for anyone." A full tribute from the family will appear in the Grimsby Telegraph on Monday. Mr Wardle's green Peugeot was travelling along Humberston Road from Hewitt's Circus and crossed over the eastbound carriageway and over a pavement into a hedge.
It was close to a private road used by residents in Denby Drive.
Paramedics from East Midlands Ambulance Service battled to save the man's life.
Humberside Police closed the road as an investigation began into the cause of the collision.
Following the single-vehicle collision, Humberside Police closed Humberston Road at the junction with Hewitt's Circus and a diversion was set up at Brian Avenue.
Sergeant Chris Wright appealed for any witnesses who saw the green Peugeot prior to the crash, to contact Humberside Police by calling 101 and quoting incident number 229.
