AN off duty police officer has described the moments he saved the life of a seriously injured pedestrian on the East Lancs Road during a snow storm.

Rugby player Alex Kean, 23, was driving back from a Peter Andre concert in Liverpool with his wife Kellie when he spotted the 57-year-old victim slumped on the dual carriageway.

He carried the man – who had a compound fracture of his right leg and was suffering from hypothermia - to safety before wrapping him in his jacket.

The police constable, an officer for three years, then lay beside him to provide body heat.

Without Alex’s heroic efforts, which unfolded shortly before midnight on Friday, it is believed the man would have frozen to death.

The former Cowley pupil, who plays rugby league for amateurs Haresfinch, called for back up from on duty officers Kate Lamb, 40, and Paul Ford, 43.

Both joined in the rescue mission, which happened at the border of St Helens and Knowsley, near to the Gamebird pub.

They waited for an ambulance, which took more than an hour to arrive because of a blizzard that had left a foot of snow on the ground.

Merseyside Police Chief Constable Jon Murphy, said: "These three officers are a credit to the force.

“The weather conditions on Friday night were appalling and their quick-thinking and selfless actions probably saved this man's life.”

Alex, from Haresfinch, said: “The weather was that bad that we were only doing about 15mph on the Lancs.

“Where we found him in the middle of nowhere and at first it appeared it was a couple of bin bags.

“As we got close though I could see his face so we pulled over. He was that cold he wouldn’t have felt anything - I think he’d been there for at least half hour before I stopped.

“The snow was horrific which made it difficult - but a couple of other cars stopped too and the people helped me carry him to the side of the road before leaving.

“I was on the phone at the time and then I noticed the man start walking and collapsing in a ditch just off the Lancs.

“I took advice from Kellie, who is a nurse, and wrapped him in my coat and waited for my colleagues.

“We then covered him in blankets which she had sensibly put in the car as emergency kit – and we waited for the ambulance.”

The three officers dragged the victim, described as “really big fella” 25 metres from the country lane to the open so paramedics could get to him.

However, they had to take turns lying with him, to give body heat, until the ambulance arrived.

By that stage Alex was freezing and soaking wet, so he headed home while his colleagues remained with the stricken victim.

Constable Ford said: “Without a doubt if Alex had not found him – the man could have ended up dead.”

Alex, meanwhile, has been bombarded with messages on Facebook since the Star reported his heroism on our website He added: “Facebook has gone mad. It’s all bit embarrassing really – and I’ve had to take quite a bit of stick about going watching Peter Andre – but that was definitely Kellie’s choice.”

The injured man, who lives nearby but asked not to be named, was taken to Fazakerley Hospital, where he underwent surgery.

It is believed he may have visited the Turk’s Head pub in St Helens earlier in the evening.