Three Dorchester residents who rescued two drivers involved in a road traffic accident have received awards for bravery from the Queen.

Andrew Bilton and husband and wife Brian and Joanne Keane have received Queen’s Commendations for Bravery, a civilian gallantry award which is given for acts of bravery entailing risk to life and meriting national recognition.

The Queen approved the awards for their actions on June 23 this year where they rescued the two drivers from their vehicles which caught fire after a collision on the Stafford Bypass in Dorset.

The Keanes were travelling on the West Stafford bypass in Dorset when they came upon the scene of two vehicles involved in a collision. Brian Keane ran to offer what assistance he could to the occupants of the two cars.

He found that both drivers were badly injured.

Having been joined by his wife, they managed to get one of the drivers out of his vehicle. Another person, Andrew Bilton then appeared and he and Brian Keane attempted to get the driver out of the second car. Unfortunately, this proved difficult because both front doors of the car were jammed shut.

By this time smoke from the other car had turned to flames but both men continued to try force the door open, but to no avail.

The fire from the other car had now spread to the car both men were attending.

Refusing to give up, Brian Keane managed to get the back door open, got inside the car and was able to force the driver's door open slightly.

He then went outside and with the help of Andrew Bilton managed to open the door from the outside and got the driver out to safety.

Shortly after, Joanne Keane administered first aid to the driver, ensuring that his airwaves remained open. It is almost certain that all three were instrumental in saving the lives of the two crash victims. Their quick actions ensured that the victims were kept safe until the emergency services arrived.

Brian and Joanne Keane and Andrew Bilton all put their lives in danger from the moment they became involved in the rescue. The crashed vehicles, which were a few steps away, could have exploded and possibly two of them, if not all three, could have been killed. The three will receive their awards from the Lord-Lieutenant for Dorset, Mrs Anthony Pitt-Rivers.