A MECHANIC from East Saltoun raced to help a man who was badly hurt in a road accident in Musselburgh.

Dean Paterson, 24, who works for First bus in Musselburgh, blocked the road with his car to tend to the injured pedestrian, 39-year-old Musselburgh resident John Forsyth.

Mr Forsyth, who is originally from Wallyford but lives in Musselburgh, had been knocked down by a white Volkswagen Golf travelling south as he tried to cross Monktonhall Terrace.

Mr Paterson, who originally comes from North Berwick, was on his way home from work when he was the first on the scene of the accident, which happened outside a block of flats at about 6.50pm last Thursday night.

A trained off-shore first aider, he immediately stopped to help.

As vehicles were still trying to pass the scene, he blocked the road with his car and activated its hazard warning lights.

Mr Paterson, a married dad-of-three, told the Courier: “He was knocked out and was not responding to anything.

“I asked if he could hear me and checked his eyes. I asked him to squeeze my hand but there was nothing from him.

“I put my jacket over him to keep him warm and held his head until the ambulance arrived. There was a woman from the coastguard who also helped. It was hectic, some night.

“My thoughts are with the man’s family. I hope he gets better soon.”

Road Policing Officers attended at the scene and the road was closed for about three hours while they carried out inquiries.

Mr Forsyth suffered a serious head injury was taken to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh before being transferred to the Western General Hospital where he remains in a serious condition.

His sister Desiree Durrant, who works with her husband John at their Musselburgh-based content marketing, social media and web design company, thanked Mr Paterson for his help via the Courier’s Facebook page.

She posted: “I can’t thank you enough. My family really appreciate what you done for my brother. Thanks Dean.”

Anyone who can assist with the ongoing investigation into the accident is asked to come forward.

Sergeant Gary Taylor from the Road Policing Unit at Dalkeith said: “As part of our inquiries we are eager to speak with any other motorists or pedestrians who were on Monktonhall Road at 6.50 pm last Thursday evening and who witnessed this collision. I would ask that anyone who believes they have information relevant to this incident to contact police immediately,” Those with information can contact Police Scotland on 101.

The accident has sparked calls for action to improve safety on what one shopkeeper described as a “lethal” road in Musselburgh which links the town with the A1 road.

Jameal Ahmed of the Monktonhall Newsagents told the Courier: “Last year there was a couple up the road who we supply papers to who had just brought a brand new car. They are lucky to be alive and it was the same position. It is very, very dangerous. People come off the motorway and speed up. It is all about people not slowing down. There should be something there to actually slow them down. It don’t know what - may be traffic lights. This is the second accident. It is a lethal road.”

Demi Stewart, who lives in the flats overlooking the accident scene, said: “The traffic is really fast, especially at night, the boys with the loud cars. They zoom up and down. I think a pedestrian crossing with traffic lights would slow down the traffic.”

Barry Bestford, another resident, agreed: “The pavement is not big and the rate the lorries go. I think they should put a set of traffic lights and pedestrian crossing there, and widen the pavements. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays are really busy. I have just moved here and thought it was going to be quiet but it’s not that quiet.”

Mum-of-one Lisa Waiting, a resident in Monktonhall Terrace, said: “The volume of traffic can be problematic especially at rush hour. If there were any measures which could be done to reduce the level of traffic but that’s the same for so many roads. You can’t get through the village at Old Craighall because of roadworks at the moment. We take precautions because it is a busy main road and I am not unduly concerned about the speed of motorists. There is a flashing speed limit sign which is good reminder and I wouldn’t like to see that removed. The only time you tend to get motorists speeding through this road is later at night if the traffic is calm and you get the odd one or two bombing down. I have big concerns about the level of the traffic there will be because there are so many new developments at Fort Kinnaird and this might have a knock on effect.”

Elizabeth Barbour who uses the route to walk to shops said from a pedestrian’s point of view the traffic travelled too fast.

She claimed: “Stoneyhill School is further up the road but some children could possibly walk along Monktonhall Terrace. I don’t really know the logistics of what could be done. Perhaps they could put up a speed camera or flashing signs telling motorists they are going to fast, letting them know it is a built -up area and they should be doing 30mph.”

David Healy, who lives in Monktonhall Terrace, claimed motorists “paid no attention” to the speed reactive sign on the road.

“Nobody does 30mph and the sign is not a deterrent. This is one of the busiest roads in Musselburgh. I think more education is needed,” he claimed.

Thomas Reid, who lives in the Stoneybank area, agreed that traffic speed was a problem and added that parking on the on the left hand side of the road didn’t help the situation.

A resident of Monktonhall Place, who declined to be named, claimed some motorists travelled at 60mph.

She commented: “They come off the bypass and don’t event see the roundabout. It is pretty bad, the speed they’re coming down and you can hardly get out your opening some days.”

Irene Tait, Chairman of Musselburgh and Inveresk Community Council, said East Lothian Council’s transportation department should “revisit” the area.

She added: “It’s very sad about the accident. I hope he makes a full and quick recovery.”