A quick thinking Dial-a-Ride driver who helped stop a woman slipping into a diabetic coma at the wheel of her car has been given a special award.

Noreen Minihane, of New North Road, Hainault, was given the judges award at the annual London Dial-a-ride awards ceremony last Friday after rushing to the aid of the driver and her two children in Crystal Avenue, Hornchurch on April 23.

She said: “It was brilliant. I was a bit shocked, but it was really nice to be recognised.”

The 43-year-old mother of two had just started her shift when she saw a car ahead of her hit a parked car and then drive off. Noreen says that she thought that something was not right.

She said: “My first thoughts was that it was a drink-driver.

“It happened really quickly, but I just saw her hit the car and then go off again, I just thought that I needed to get down her number.”

After dropping her passenger off, Noreen decided to follow the car.

She pulled up beside the driver and tried to tell her to pull over, when she saw two children in the car screaming.

Noreen said: “It was very strange. I told her that she had hit another car and she just looked blank.

“My concern was for the children because they were screaming, it was just a weird feeling.”

Noreen continued to follow the car and watched it weave across the road, cutting corners, before eventually hitting a tree.

She then raced from her bus and held on to the key of the car to stop the driver from restarting the engine.

When the police and ambulance arrived, they told Noreen that the driver was seconds away from slipping into a diabetic coma and without her intervention there could have been fatal consequences.

Noreen, who works out of the depot in Roding Lane South, Redbridge, said: “It was really scary watching her driving because there were so many near misses

“I was just happy that the kids were safe, because things could have been so different.”