It's second time around for hero (From Barry And District News)

It's second time around for hero

A BARRY hero, who battled to save another man's life, is taking a lead role in a TV show of the real-life drama.

Navy Lieutenant Brian "Grassy" Meadows, 49, of Rheidol Drive, was managing the Navy bobsleigh team competing in the 1993 British Championships in La Plagne, France.

When a two-man bobsleigh carrying an RAF team veered out of control, pilot Martin Whitehead was badly injured.

Martin was not breathing and Brian rushed to help, starting mouth-to-mouth resuscitation as the paramedics got to work.

When the medics rushed the RAF pilot off to hospital, it was the last Brian saw of him, and had no idea what followed.

That is, until Brian was contacted by the BBC for his help in filming Martin's miraculous story for the series '999'.

Originally from Lancashire, Brian has lived in Barry for 21 years with his wife Vicky, 41, and daughter Tamsin, 14.

He said: "I was flown out to France on a separate plane to Martin, so we could surprise him.

He was walking through the story and when he reached the actual spot where he landed, I was there.

"It was wonderful to see him well, to meet his wife and find out they had two sons." Martin had remained in a coma for 12 weeks.

He spent two years in rehabilitation before re-training as a fighter pilot. He is now training to be a pilot with British Airways.

Due to retire next October, Brian uses the accident as a scenario for first aid.

But he says everything he has experienced in his 35-year Naval career, nothing comes close to his reunion.

He recalls: "The day of the accident was nothing special, it was all in the line of duty. It was meeting Martin again that made it all seem real - that was definitely the highlight of my career."

Martin's story, featuring Brian in his own role is being screened on BBC 1 on