AN heroic teenager saved a colleague’s life when she discovered him at the scene of an horrific car crash.

Abbie Gibbons, who is 19, arrived at the scene of the crash on her way home from working at Asda in Heybridge and was shocked to discover her colleague Sean Royale, 28, at the wheel.

Abbie acted immediately and dragged her co-worker from his overturned car, covered him in coats to keep him warm with the help of some motorists and reassured him while they waited for emergency services to arrive.

Sean suffered two rib fractures, a punctured lung, a fractured shoulder, facial fractures and a cut to his head in the crash.

He said: “I really can’t thank Abbie enough – she saved my life.

“I dread to think what would have happened if she hadn’t been there. I was very lucky. The police said it was one of the worst car crash wrecks they’d seen.”

Abbie and Sean had just finished their shifts and were travelling in separate cars on Maypole Road near Maldon when Sean lost control of his car hitting a bump in the road.

He was blinded by the lights of a car coming towards him and his car hit a ditch, overturned then hit a tree about 500m away. Abbie came upon the wreck shortly afterwards.

She said: “It was pretty scary, but it wasn’t about me – it was all about Sean.

“I didn’t really have time to think, I just got on with things. It’s only when you look back and think ‘Oh my God, how on earth did I do that?’”

Abbie stayed on the scene for more than an hour to speak to responders and Sean’s family and turned up for her shift at the Heybridge store the next day.

Sean said: “Abbie is constantly putting other people’s needs before her own, it is a true pleasure to be part of the same team as this absolute superstar. She’s a prime example of not only an exemplary colleague but an all-round incredible person.”

Sean, who is recovering at home, has now nominated Abbie for an Asda service superstar award.

Asda Heybridge Store manager Matt Cork said: “It was really brilliant what she did. She dealt with it really well and was so calm and collected about it. She’s such a great, outgoing, fun colleague who gets on with everyone, She is a true asset to our store.”