KINDHEARTED holidaymakers on their way to the airport helped to save the life of an 18-year-old woman who fell from a bridge on to the A666, suffering serious head and leg injuries.

Kim Hirst and Simon Fort were on their way to Liverpool John Lennon Airport when they saw the woman on the southbound carriageway of the road near Bradford Street, at about 3.40am on Thursday.

The pair quickly went to the teenager's aid and comforted her.

Simon risked his own safety by flagging down two lorries which were heading towards them.

Kim, aged 27, from Accrington, said: "Simon pulled over on to the side of the road and I jumped out and ran to assist the young lady in the road.

"I had started to call 999, but as I don't know the area well I gave Simon the phone to give accurate directions to where we were.

"My attention turned to the young lady, who was conscious and clearly in a lot of pain, she was lay on her side and trying to move her arms.

"I spoke to her told her we were getting help and got a coat to cover her with."

Kim added: "While Simon was on the phone to the ambulance team he ran away from the incident to stop two oncoming lorries.

"Once they stopped, one of the drivers called out if we needed anything, to which I replied, coats to cover the young lady over as it was raining and I was very worried about her getting too cold and wet.

"Kindly the lorry driver brought a coat and sleeping bag."

Simon was driving Kim to the airport to take a flight to Alicante to meet her partner when they stopped to help. Simon, aged 31, from Darwen, had picked his friend up at about 3.15am before they headed through Bolton towards Liverpool.

Kim still made her flight, and said she was just happy that they were able to help.

She said: "When the police initially arrived I told the officer that we were on the way to the airport when we came upon the young lady.

"The same officer took our contact details and allowed myself and Simon to leave while the paramedics treated the young lady, this way I was able to make my flight.

"We arrived at Liverpool at 4.45am. We had a coffee before departing, feeling very fortunate we came across the young lady before the lorries."

Following the incident, the police said the woman had suffered serious head and leg injuries, but that she was stable in hospital and her condition was not life threatening.