A TEARFUL dad has spoken of the emotional moments and his gratitude when he and his daughter, who was seriously injured in a collision with a bus, came face to face with its driver and a first aider who helped mitigate the impact of her injuries.

Thurrock man Mike Jones and his daughter Amy, who is recovering well after a couple of weeks receiving treatment in hospital, travelled to Purfleet to meet Ensign bus driver Jason and Paul Dibble, an off duty firefighter who was among the first on the scene at the incident in Grays on 2 February.

Mike, himself a former firefighter, told of the incident and the extent of his daughter's injuries 24 hours after she was rushed to hospital with injuries to her face and what proved to be broken bones in her back.

After the collision with an Ensign bus in Clarence Road Amy was treated at London Hospital Whitechapel.

She was released last week and is continuing her recovery at home. Yesterday (Monday, 14 March) she and dad Mike visited the Ensign depot at Purfleet to meet driver Jason, who had no blame in the incident but was deeply shocked by it.

Mike told Nub News: "Amy got to meet the people who saved her life.

"It was emotional and fantastic to finally meet Jason and all the crew at Ensign Bus company. They really made us feel so welcome.

"Jason's actions prevented the worst possible outcome. There were tears but only from me and Jason plus I was delighted to get into the driver's seat of the actual local bus that I rode as a child to school

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"Then we made a visit to meet Paul Dibble who was the off duty firefighter whose prompt expertise got Amy breathing and saved her life

"Our family will never be able to thank these two wonderful people for saving our daughter."