They might have cut the roof off one of the most of expensive cars in the showroom where he works, but sales executive Sat Deogun had nothing but praise for firefighters who rescued him after a crash.

Mr Deogun had pulled out of Beadles in Princes Road, Dartford, driving a VW Scirocco coupe for the first time when the collision happened.

“For weeks I had flashbacks to seeing the lady’s face,” he recalled at Dartford Fire Station on Friday. “I saw her face in panic, and it just went bang, then I remember looking to my right and seeing white or pink – it was the air-bag. I don’t remember much else.”

Among the next things he does remember is firefighter Chris Bishenden keeping him calm as crews used hydraulic cutters and an electric saw to cut him free.

“He was fantastic,” said Mr Deogun, 40. “He was keeping me calm. The noise was quite loud but Chris was fantastic.

“It’s pretty bizarre and surreal – I’ve never been cut out of a car before and it’s not a nice feeling.”

After repeat trips to hospital suffering from neck pain and headaches, Mr Deogun has just returned to work and took the chance to visit the fire station with his wife Michelle and their two-year-old son Archie.

While the rest of the crew that helped him were off duty, Mr Deogun did get to thank crew manager Richard Emery, who oversaw the rescue operation on Saturday, December 10.

“I think what they do is brilliant,” added Mr Deogun. “The way they helped me it makes me want to be a firefighter myself.”

While Mr Deogun is back on his feet and back at work, the same cannot be said for the Scirocco.

“The roof’s been cut off so there’s no way it’s going back on sale,” he added. “It’s shame. It’s definitely a nice car.”