Police save burning colleague

his blazing traffic car in Kirkcaldy Esplanade. Constable Robert Hubbard, a passenger, was climbing from the driver's side of a Ford Granada after it had skidded off the road and crashed

into a wall while on its way to a road accident. He fell back into the flames and ended up ''on fire from head to foot''.

Four officers, three of them women, travelling behind in another car, ran to help their colleague and managed to smother the flames. Inspector George Kyle, of Kirkcaldy, said last night: ''There is no

doubt in my mind they saved that guy's life.'' He added that he would be recommending them for a commendation. The accident happened when the traffic car driven by Constable James

Craig, 31, was on its way to an overturned van on the Kirkcaldy to Forth Bridge road, near Orrock Quarry, in Fife. Constable Wendy Donald, 22, who was with Constables John Lawson, Fiona

Stewart, and Lisa Gooding, in a following car said: ''We saw the car skidding, colliding with a wall, and suddenly going into flames. ''The road was alight with petrol in a matter of seconds and we saw

Bob coming out of the driver's door, because his side of the car was damaged. ''Then he fell back into the flames.

He managed to run out by himself on fire from head to foot. I took off my jacket and we tried to smother

the flames.'' Eventually the officers, assisted by Constable Craig, managed to smother the flames and poured water onto Constable Hubbard until

paramedics arrived.

Last night, Constable Hubbard, 34, was being treated in the specialist

burns unit at St John's Hospital, Livingston.