THE daughter of a man crushed by his car after it rolled out of control is trying to find the heroes who saved him from instant death.

Former Army gunner and school caretaker James Watson was trapped after being dragged under his Peugeot 308.

He is battling for his life in Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge.

Corrinne Wright, one of Mr Watson’s two daughters, said she was told by emergency crews two men who witnessed the incident jacked the car to take the pressure off her dad.

She is desperately trying to locate them.

Corrinne, 46, of Hadleigh, Essex, said: “Once they saw the car taking him out, they stopped, got a jack out of the car and got the car off him.

“They may have saved his life.

“I know he is still critical but I saw him in Colchester General Hospital and he was able to talk to me and I told him I loved him.

“If he passed away I have got that bit of closure.

“We really want to say thank you so much.”

Corrinne said her dad, who is 71, had walked away from the car in Ariel Close, Colchester, when the same two men hooted their car at him to alert him it was rolling.

“Dad jumped in front of the car to stop it from rolling and got taken for a ride underneath it, he’s only 5ft tall” she added.

Paramedics and ambulance crews were called.

Fire crews had to use an inflatable device to completely lift the car off Mr Watson and free him.

Corrinne said: “I got a telephone call to say my dad was involved in an accident.

“I got in the car and headed up the A12.”

Mr Watson was transferred to Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridgeshire.

Corrinne said: “He is still fairly critical in the intensive care unit.”

Mr Watson from Colchester, had broken ribs, a crushed pelvis and a broken hip, extensive damage to his right leg and a broken ankle.

Corrinne said his pelvis was operated on and he was due to undergo surgery on his leg yesterday.

Describing her dad as an “avid” classic car enthusiast, she said he served in the Army until around 1980, completing tours of Northern Ireland and Germany.

He then worked as a caretaker for King’s Ford schools - now Iceni Academy – in Shrub End, Colchester, for about ten years.

Mr Watson also has three step-children and a partner.

Corrinne added: “He is a family man, he devotes a lot of time to his kids.”

The incident happened around 4.30pm on Thursday and fire crews, an ambulance rapid response vehicle and ambulance officer attended.

n Do you know who the men were who stopped to help Mr Watson? Contact the Gazette’s news room on 01206 508414 or email gazette.newsdesk@nqe.com.