A CAR crash survivor today personally thanked three selfless heroes who dragged her from a burning vehicle and saved her life.

Katrina Dawkes, 51, of Carterton, Neil Norridge, 49, of Swinbrook, near Burford, and John Busk, 40, of Shipton-under-Wychwood, were each given a High Sheriff’s bravery award in a ceremony at Oxford Crown Court.

They came face-to-face with Diane Slatter, 49, for the first time since they forced a door off her car and pulled her to safety seconds before flames engulfed the vehicle after a crash on the A361 between Burford and Shipton-under-Wychwood in August last year.

Ms Slatter’s mother Margaret, 74, was killed in the crash, which happened when a Land Rover Discovery driven by Deborah Hodson, 47, of Alvescot Road, Black Bourton, smashed into the Slatters’ Chrysler Neon.

Hodson was was jailed for 18 months on Friday, October 2 after being convicted at the court of causing death by dangerous driving.

After hugging her rescuers at an emotional reunion yesterday, Ms Slatter said she owed them her life.

She added: “If it wasn’t for these people, I would have been a goner.

“They saved my life.

“I would have been torched in that fire.”

Ms Slatter was knocked unconscious in the crash at the junction of the A361 and B4437 at Shipton Down.

Mrs Dawkes, a nurse, was first on the scene and climbed inside the smoke-filled car and on to the back seats to try to rescue Ms Slatter and her mother, who were in the front seats.

Farmworkers Mr Norridge and Mr Busk saw the crash from a field they were working in and ran to help.

Mr Busk tore open the passenger door and the three of them freed Ms Slatter from the burning wreckage just in time.

They dragged her across the road to safety seconds before flames engulfed the vehicle.

Mr Busk said: “We were running and could see Katrina couldn’t get the passenger door open.

“I just pulled at it and it came off it came off in my hand.

“All three of us got her out. I wasn’t worried at the time.

“We just wanted to get her out before the fire really took hold.”

Ms Slatter spent seven weeks in intensive care with severe head injuries, one broken leg and a broken vertebrate.

Ms Slatter, of Manor Farm, in Kingham, added: “The doctors thought I might not make it, as I had swelling on the brain. But my heart kept on beating and that was the main thing.”

All three were presented with awards by Oxfordshire’s High Sheriff Richard Dick and Judge Julian Hall.

Judge Hall said: “It’s a wonderful story and as far as I’m concerned these three fully merit the award.”

Sgt Pete Jell, of the Bicester traffic police unit, said: “These three people put their own lives at risk to save another.”

Last month, Oxford Crown Court heard Hodson had ignored eight warnings on the approach to the junction – including rumble strips and road signs – before she ploughed into the Slatters’ vehicle.