A MOTHER has expressed her thanks to the heroes who dragged her son from his crashed car just before it burst into flames.

Sheila Harris said she dreaded to think what could have happened if 22-year-old Chris had been left injured in his Mini.

The Worcester News reported on Wednesday how Johanne Charko rushed to the aid of Mr Harris after coming across the wreckage of the mini and a white Vauxhall Combo van on the B4424 Upton Road at Callow End at about 7.30pm on Tuesday night.

He was suffering from two broken legs, two broken arms, a broken ankle and broken nose and was stuck in his vehicle.

The 43-year-old housewife, of Callow Farm, Hillside, Martley, pulled him to safety.

It has since come to light she was helped by another woman, Stella Bayliss, who lives in Malvern.

Mrs Harris, a mother of six from Monarch Drive, St John's, Worcester, has paid tribute to the bravery of both women.

She said: "Who knows what would have happened if they hadn't been there just after the accident happened?

"Chris needed nine hours of surgery after being airlifted to Selly Oak hospital, but now he is in a trauma ward.

"They expect him to be in hospital for 12 weeks but he is chirpy, which is a good thing.

"He has said that he could see people milling around and was desperate for help. He could see the van was on fire and was thinking I'm on top of the petrol tank, please someone help me'.

"He had tried getting out himself, but as his arms and legs were broken he couldn't move at all. He was in a lot of pain but just wanted to get out of the car."

Mrs Harris said she, her husband Mike and their five other children were hoping Chris, a cavity wall insulator, would make a full recovery.

His younger brother Alex was featured in the Worcester News in September 2004 when we made his dreams come true and organised him to meet the boy band Busted.

Alex, aged nine, was born with a rare muscle weakening condition and curvature of the spine, and met his heroes after learning to walk again following post-operative complications.