A retired paramedic has called for a speed limit reduction on a busy stretch of road after a close-shave with death.

David Lambourne, 68, from Lancing, stopped to help a broken down driver on the A27 near Shoreham Airport on Tuesday morning when he witnessed a car veering off the road.

The Peugeot 206 was travelling westbound towards Worthing when it appeared to lose control and struck a lamppost.

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Mr Lambourne is now calling for a speed limit reduction from 70mph to 50mph in the area after admitting |he “could have been killed” if he was standing in the way of the out of control car.

But it’s not the first time Mr Lambourne has seen motorists encountering difficulties on that particular stretch of carriageway.

He said: “The road has a 70mph speed limit which winds down to 40mph as it approaches the roundabout at Lancing Manor.

“All too often cars are ignoring the speed reduction and zooming up to the roundabout doing 70mph – or in some cases even more.

“We’ve seen people breaking down in the area before and it’s extremely dangerous.

“The road needs a speed limit of 50mph. People are struggling to slow down and something needs to be done.

“Accidents like this one could have been so much worse if broken down cars or their drivers were hit by speeding cars.”

Mr Lambourne is planning to run for councillor of Adur and Worthing’s Mash Barn ward next year and said he will “see what he can do” to help improve safety on the stretch of road.

He added: “Also, why is it not compulsory for drivers to carry a warning triangle for when they break down as it is in mainland Europe?”

A spokeswoman from Sussex Police said: “A Ford Fiesta had broken down on the A27 westbound near the Sussex Pad traffic lights, Shoreham, at 12.30pm on Tuesday, September 24 when another vehicle collided with a pole in an attempt to avoid the broken down car.

“The vehicle went off the road.

“No one was injured. The road was cleared by 1.45pm.”