A BUS driver has been hailed a hero after saving the life of a man who fell unconscious while suffering a heart attack on a busy main road.

Mohammad Ismail, a bus driver for Stagecoach, was driving the 23-bus route from Newport to Pontypool on Sunday when he pulled over on the main road near Kimberley Park, Malpas, after a woman was heard screaming for help.

Mr Ismail assisted the family of a man in the car in front of the bus, who was having a heart attack, and began ordering people nearby to call an ambulance.

He even crossed five lanes of traffic on a busy Malpas Road to run to the fire station to get a defibrillator. A coach at nearby Albion Rovers FC with first aid training ran to assist with the club's defibrillator.

Peter Barker, a passenger on the 11.25am bus from Newport to Pontypool who was on his way to visit his parents in Pontypool, told the Argus of the experience.

South Wales Argus: Peter BarkerPeter Barker (Image: Peter Barker)

Mr Barker praised his bus drivers action by hailing him a hero. Picture: Peter Barker 

He said: “I was on the bus from Newport and noticed a car in front of the bus and a woman was frantically trying to pull her father out. He had lost consciousness and recently had a heart attack.

“The first person on the scene was our bus driver, who stopped the bus and got out and phoned the ambulance. We had help from a local sports group who'd had an emergency message.

“Our bus driver was involved in getting the defibrillator, which wasn’t needed as he helped by holding up the man’s legs to help with blood flow.

South Wales Argus: Peter Barker Peter Barker (Image: Peter Barker)

Mohammad Ismail was driving route 23 to pontypool when he helped save a mans life. Picture: Nathan Barker 

“He was really great, asking people to help out and do thing. He was comforting the man’s daughter and making sure she was okay, he was fantastic.”

Mr Barker says the bus driver should be rewarded for his actions.

He added: “I was in shock when it happened but he was fantastic, helping the daughter with her mum who struggled to dial 999 as she had Alzheimer’s.

“The mum was in the car and he was great at keeping an eye on her, as well as helping the girl with her father.

South Wales Argus: Google Maps Google Maps (Image: Google)

Malpas Road where a bus driver had to stop to assist a woman in distress. Picture: Google 

“Mohammad was exemplary, and should be rewarded for his actions by Stagecoach.”

Stagecoach South Wales were contacted for a comment.