'Literal lifesavers' rescue nine-month-old baby locked in burning car

A mother has called two strangers "literal lifesavers" after they rescued her nine-month-old baby from a burning car.

Alex McClean, 21, from Ebbw Vale, Blaenau Gwent, was driving along a dual carriageway at about 13:20 GMT on Wednesday when her car began to smoke and, although she managed to get out, the doors locked with baby Lilah still inside.

As flames spread, Wesley Beynon and his uncle Marc Willding, from Merthyr Tydfil, rushed to help, with Wesley managing to enter through the driver's door to free Lilah and Marc pulling her to safety.

The group reunited on Saturday and Alex said Lilah would grow up knowing about the men who saved her life and she would never forget their heroism.

Alex was driving along the A465 at Merthyr Tydfil to take Lilah to a playgroup when her car suddenly began to lose power.

After warning lights came on, she pulled into a lay-by, but moments later smoke filled the car and she rushed to get out.

When Alex tried to open the rear door behind the passenger seat and the passenger door, neither would open, and in her panic she did not think to try the other side.

"I thought everything was just locked," she explained.

Alex said she screamed for help as cars drove past, unsuccessfully trying to smash the window with her keys before calling police as the bonnet began to turn brown.

"I was hysterical and had no idea what was going on.

"I thought I was going to lose her."

Welder fabricator Wesley was heading back to his workshop when he and his uncle noticed the car on fire in the lay-by.

The 39-year-old recalled seeing a woman was at the passenger door "clearly in distress", screaming that her baby was trapped inside, which he described as "horrifying".

Wesley forced his way in through the driver's side, unclipped the baby's harness, then Marc took her out as flames were already visible inside the car.

Moments after Lilah was rescued, the vehicle became engulfed in flames, which Wesley said was "pretty terrifying" and would have meant "a different story".

"We were in the right place at the right time," Wesley said.

"Instinct just took over."

Marc, 58, added he would never have left the scene until the baby was safely out of the car.

"We would have done it anyway possible."

Alex said baby Lilah was unharmed by the ordeal and she was pleased to have the chance to reunite with and thank the men who saved her baby, presenting them with gifts.

She added: "I've never been so appreciative of someone to help me, there were so many other people that didn't bother, stopping.

"If they weren't there, it would have been so bad – it was such a relief to get her out of the car."

Alex described the pair as "real lifesavers".

"I'll never forget about these, and Lilah's going to grow up knowing who they are and what happened and how they saved her life."

Wesley said he has felt overwhelmed since the incident, particularly after he and his uncle were hailed as local heroes on social media, adding that his phone has been "red hot".

He said the recognition has been nice, but stressed they did not act for praise.

Wesley added that knowing they had "made a difference", not just to the baby's life but also to Alex and her family, meant a great deal to him.

"I couldn't bear to imagine what they would have gone through if we didn't get the baby," he added.

His advice to other drivers was simple: "Just stop and help."

"You could potentially change somebody's life as we have just done."

Additional reporting by Andy Gourlay