A trucker was hailed a hero today after risking his life to pull another driver from his blazing van.

The lorry driver stopped after he saw a Mercedes van burst into flames after ploughing into a lamppost by the A27 near Chichester.

He raised the alarm on his mobile phone and managed to pull the driver out of the van shortly before the fire brigade arrived.

Leading Firefighter Marvin Smith said: "The van was well alight as we approached the scene and the driver is certainly a very lucky chap.

"The lorry driver did extremely well and he was quite shocked himself."

The accident happened just after 5am on the eastbound A27 Chichester bypass at Kingsham.

Firefighters gave the van driver, who was conscious, first aid before paramedics arrived.

Today the driver was in St Richard's Hospital with head and neck injuries which were not believed to be life-threatening.