A heroic girl who witnessed her mum being hit by a car in a horrific crash has been praised for her calmness and bravery.

Emma Harbinson, ten, and her brother Freddie, two, narrowly avoided serious injury as they crossed Hadleigh High Street with their mum Cherie Wright.

With Cherie suffering from serious injuries, Emma took care of her younger brother and passed on vital information to the emergency services.

Paramedic Sarah Lewis said: “Emma was so calm and was a familiar person for her brother.

“She couldn’t be with her mum so she took over as the mum and really calmed her brother down, giving him cuddles and checking on him.”

Year 5 pupil Emma was presented with a special award by the ambulance service during an assembly at Westwood Academy, Hadleigh, today.

Victoria Thomas, ambulance service duty locality officer, said: “She had just watched her mum get run over yet she remembered dates of birth, her address and telephone number, postcode and who her doctor was.

Echo:

Ambulance staff Sarah Lewis and Victoria Thomas with (front left to right) Cherie Wright, Freddie Harbinson and Emma Harbinson

“It’s a real credit to her parents that she knew that level of information.”

Cherie, 39, took most of the impact in the collision, suffering broken ribs and a punctured lung.

Freddie initially appeared unconscious but quickly came round and Emma escaped with minor injuries.

Cherie, who was thrown several metres, was kept in at Southend Hospital for 24 hours and remembers little of the incident.

She said: “I don’t really remember much at all, just crossing the road and the car coming out of nowhere.

“Freddie was holding my hand and was in shock after and thankfully Emma was only grazed.

“I’m so proud of Emma. She was so calm and has taken it all in her stride.”

Echo:

The scene of the crash, including the Audi TT involved in the collision

Emma said: “I just wanted to give Freddie a hug to make sure he was safe and warm.”

Her dad, Jon Harbinson, 41, was called to the hospital on the day of the collision to meet his family.

He said: “What Emma did was fantastic. She proved she is quite calm in situations like that.”

Westwood Academy headteacher Simon Harbrow said: “Emma is a credit to her school and family.”