An officer who performed emergency first aid on a cyclist after a collision in Edenbridge has been praised for his actions.

Special Sergeant Richard Warner was off-duty when he heard a loud bang in Mill Hill at around 5.30am on Sunday, August 8.

He instinctively rushed to the scene to find a cyclist in the road, surrounded by debris, and with injuries he knew needed medical treatment.

Special Sergeant Warner carried out first aid and wrapped the cyclist in a quilt, to ensure he wasn’t moved until an ambulance arrived.

There were also two other off-duty officers at the scene from the Metropolitan Police who helped to close the road.

The cyclist was taken to hospital for treatment and is now recovering following a fracture.

Immediate enquiries were carried out and Special Sergeant Warner managed to secure some CCTV of the incident from local residents.

Further information led to the arrest of a 27-year-old woman from Surrey on suspicion of drink driving, dangerous driving and failing to stop at the scene of a collision.

She has since been released from custody pending further investigation.

Special Sergeant Warner, a former Royal Marine, has been part of the Special Constabulary in Kent for eight years.

Part of his volunteering role is primarily within the force’s Search and Marine Unit and he is also trained in public order.

Following the incident he said: "I would like to think I did what anyone would have done, however being part of the Special Constabulary and as a First Responder it’s second nature to help others and react to emergency situations like this.

"I would like to think I did what anyone would have done..."

"My day job is in construction and I work with a team of people who build supermarkets in Sheppey and the surrounding area.

"I was in the Royal Marines before that for five years but had to leave due to a back injury.

"I really missed that environment, which is why I decided to volunteer my free time and work with the Special Constabulary.

"As part of the role we get regular training, which is so vital to be able to react in the way I did on Sunday.

"I’m in a really great team of special officers and take a lot of pride in the work we do and I would thoroughly recommend it to anyone, in fact my son is following in my footsteps and has also signed up."

Special constables are volunteers who have full police powers, equipment and uniform and who work alongside regular officers at Kent Police.

An average shift might include assisting other departments with arrests, searching for missing people or helping with incidents of flooding, where life might be in danger.

They give up a minimum of 16 hours of their own time every month, to help police an area of their choice.

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