Grateful Gary Mason has praised firefighters from Essex County Fire and Rescue Service after they rescued him when he became trapped under his car while attempting to change a wheel at his home in Kirby Cross.

Gary became stuck beneath his Volkswagen T-Cross after the jack he was using slipped while he was trying to fit a spare wheel. Neighbours raised the alarm after hearing calls for help and contacted ECFRS, with the local Frinton on-call team arriving within minutes.

The incident happened after Gary returned home from ACL Clacton, where he had been sitting an IT exam. After discovering his vehicle had a flat tyre, he decided to change the wheel himself.

While lifting the vehicle, the jack slipped and the car dropped, trapping his leg underneath and leaving him unable to move.

Firefighters arrived quickly and used specialist lifting equipment and airbags to safely raise the vehicle and free him. 

Praise – the Frinton crew which responded to the incident 

Throughout the incident, crews provided reassurance and support to Gary and his neighbours, who had gathered nearby and were concerned for his welfare. 

Blankets were provided to keep Gary comfortable while crews worked.

Gary was able to walk away from the incident and did not require hospital treatment.

Speaking afterwards, Gary praised the firefighters for their swift and professional response.

“I was extremely lucky – it could have been a lot worse,” he said. “They arrived very quickly and were absolutely brilliant. I can’t praise them enough for what they did.”

Firefighters were on scene for around 20 minutes and worked closely with neighbours to ensure everyone was safe, and even re-fitted the spare wheel before leaving the scene. 

Dan Partridge, Area Manager at Essex County Fire and Rescue Service, said: “I’m very proud of the local team from Frinton Fire Station for being there so quickly to support a member of their community while reassuring him and keeping him comfortable throughout.

“We’re really pleased he was able to walk away without needing hospital treatment, and we’re grateful to the neighbours who acted so quickly and looked out for one another.”

Neighbour Jenny Brouard added: “I would echo Gary – the fire officers were brilliant and went out of their way to ensure Gary was safe and looked after and also took the time to make sure myself and the other neighbours were OK.”

Essex County Fire and Rescue Service is reminding people to take extra care when carrying out vehicle maintenance and to consider seeking professional help where possible.