Reece and dad Tony McGhee with PCs Giles Lamb, Mark Sutton and Darren Searle, who was first to the scene of the crash

by Lynn Cox

A 12-year-old boy has been hailed a hero after he brought a car to a halt on a busy road when his diabetic dad passed out at the wheel.

Young Reece McGhee was a passenger in the car when his dad Tony had a hypoglycemic attack and started driving erratically.

They were in the Medway Tunnel, surrounded by traffic but - instead of panicking - the brave Strood Academy pupil managed to stop the car by putting it into neutral and pulling up the hand brake.

He even had the sense to put the hazard lights on to warn other drivers.

The drama began when Tony started to feel unwell as the pair drove to the tunnel from Strood towards Gillingham.

Reece said: "I felt like there was something wrong when we missed our turning and at the top of Frindsbury Hill he stalled, and that never happens.

"we have talked about what to do in an emergency but like most parents, never expected he would ever have to act so bravely…” – tony mcghee

"We went round the roundabout, went left going down to the tunnel and slammed into the wall. I was crying; I was scared.

"He slowed down and I put it the car in neutral and put the hand brake up. Some people were behind us and they didn’t stop. They kept driving by; that upset me."

However, other drivers had noticed Tony's driving and had called police, worried that he was drink-driving and might cause an accident.

However, quick-thinking Reece knew what was happening to his dad and - despite the car veering into the tunnel wall and bouncing off it into the other wall - he brought the Ford Focus to a stop and called for help.

Tony said: "He knew something was wrong as we had veered across the road.

"I remember him asking me, 'dad, dad, are you OK?', but I don't remember much more; I’d flaked out by this time.

"Apparently we mounted the kerb and then hit the wall and then hit the other wall and scraped both sides of the car, but Reece then managed to pull up the hand brake and stopped us.

"He didn't panic and got on the phone to my daughter to tell them what had happened."

Because Tony is a type 1 diabetic, he had always told Reece what to do if he did become ill and says he is extremely proud of how well his son coped.

He added: "I'm incredibly proud of him. He did extremely well and saved the day – it could have been a lot worse but he kept his cool. All the family are proud of him.

"We have talked about what to do in an emergency but like most parents, never expected he would ever have to act so bravely."

After the accident, Tony was taken to hospital, treated and quickly released.

On Friday, Reece and Tony met members of the police motorycle team at the station in Gillingham.

Among them was PC Darren Searle, among the first on the scene.

He said: "Reece was cool about it. He was calm, collected and had even called his family – he was as good as gold.

"Most children his age would not stay calm. He's only 12 and he’s been very brave."