TRAGIC good Samaritan motorist Derek Wright was today hailed "a hero" by the driver of the car he stopped to help on the A12 last week.Speaking for the first time about the horrific incident, teenager Abdul Shipon today told how he would forever be in the debt of Mr Wright, 52, of Oak Eggar Chase, Pinewood, Ipswich, who stopped at the scene of an accident on the Colchester-bound stretch of the A12.

TRAGIC good Samaritan motorist Derek Wright was today hailed "a hero" by the driver of the car he stopped to help on the A12 last week.

Speaking for the first time about the horrific incident, teenager Abdul Shipon today told how he would forever be in the debt of Mr Wright, 52, of Oak Eggar Chase, Pinewood, Ipswich, who stopped at the scene of an accident on the Colchester-bound stretch of the A12.

As kind-hearted Mr Wright crossed the carriageway last Tuesday evening to help four people stuck in a Vauxhall Vectra which had turned over near the Four Sisters Farm turn off at East Bergholt, he was struck by a BMW travelling southbound, killing him instantly.

Today, 19-year-old Mr Shipon, of Shaftesbury Square, said he would always be in Mr Wright's debt.

He said: "I didn't see anything at the time, the first thing I heard was when I was told at the hospital that someone else had been killed in the accident.

"When I heard about it my mind went blank and I felt responsible – it was my car and I was driving I will always have to pay the price.

Describing events leading up to the fatal crash, he said: "We were taking a friend back to London after we had been for a meal in Ipswich when suddenly the back of the car started to give way.

"It's on a V-plate and is only four years old and had only been recently serviced, but I felt the back suddenly start to go left.

"I don't know why it happened but someone said we had just been through a lot of water on the road.

"I tried to steer the other way but then we started going into the verge and then we flipped over. We rolled over about five or six times but it all happened so quickly."

Mr Shipon, who was driving the car, sustained bruised lungs in the accident and is still on painkillers. Shafiqul Islam, 21, from Ipswich was also in the front and suffered minor injuries.

Rafik Mihr, 21, from Ipswich was a back seat passenger and suffered minor injuries while Ayesha Asana, 19, from London was the most seriously injured.

She remains in Ipswich Hospital suffering from multiple injuries.

Mr Shipon said he was unaware that Mr Wright had helped at the accident until he was told of his assistance while at Ipswich Hosptial.

"From everyone involved we are deeply sorry for what happened and I find myself forever in their debt. If there is anything we can do to help his family we will help.

"We would like to go to the funeral and pay our repects. He was heroic for what he did and I would like to think we would have all done the same thing if we were in the same situation.

"I would also like to say thank you to everyone else who was involved at the accident – the emergency services and everyone else who helped."