A roads policing officer has praised the actions of a 12-year-old boy after his mother became unwell at the wheel of her car.

At approximately 5.50pm on 10 October, William McIntosh was being driven by his mum Emma on the A346 towards Marlborough.

Shortly before they had begun their journey, Emma had been stung or suffered an insect bite on her toe. She thought nothing of it and began the journey to Marlborough with her son.

About 10 minutes into her journey, Emma began to feel unwell and passed out.

The car – a Nissan X Trail - veered into the opposite carriageway into the path of oncoming traffic.

Quick-thinking William took the steering wheel and attempted to steer the car into a field and out of the path of the traffic. In doing so, he struck an electricity pole and bank, forcing the car back into the carriageway.

PC Leigh Mayhew said: “William had the presence of mind to take control of the car, and although it did strike the side of an oncoming car, had he not done what he did, the collision could have been extremely serious. Fortunately, nobody was seriously injured.

“Emma’s condition was initially thought to be life threatening and she was taken to the Great Western Hospital, but was later found to have suffered only minor injuries and it is believed she had passed out as a result of a reaction to an insect bite.

“I feel that William’s actions potentially saved his life, that of his mother’s, and any drivers coming in the opposite direction.”

The road was closed for a number of hours while the fire service and paramedics attended the scene. It reopened at 8.50pm.