The actions of Bath & North East Somerset Ring & Ride driver, Paul Vernon, based at the Ring & Ride operation at Midsomer Norton has been praised by the Council for helping an elderly couple vacate their smoke filled home following a chip pan fire.

The elderly couple are members and regular users of the successful Ring & Ride service and since the bus regularly visits the location of Hillside Crescent, Midsomer Norton where the fire took place the driver was able to identify the burning house as belonging to regular passengers of the scheme.

Paul acted quickly in entering the house shouting for the people inside and once he had located them, got them out as quickly as possible.

The lady unable to walk unaided, needed assistance to reach outside and the couple were later treated for smoke inhalation.

This is not the first time Paul Vernon’s act of heroism has been praised since in 2006 he was responsible for calling an ambulance to the aid of a Ring & Ride member who had fallen in her own home and had been unable to get up to alert anyone.