TWO unknown soldiers from Swindon have been praised for their quick action when they were first on the scene at a motorcycle accident on the old Severn Bridge.

A man in his 20s was taken to hospital on Saturday with leg and arm injuries after reports that two motorcycles had collided on the westbound carriageway of the M48.

GWAS paramedic Chris Hewett said: "On arrival we found that one of the motorcyclists was uninjured but the other had sustained minor ankle and knee injuries and a serious open fracture to his right arm.

"The first people at the scene were some soldiers from Swindon who were on their way to Wales for training. Their assistance was invaluable, in fact teamwork was the key to providing care to this patient and we would like to thank the soldiers, Severn Bridge crews, the highways agency traffic officers and police for the seamless way they worked with us."

The patient was given pain relief through a drip before having his leg and arm splinted. He was then taken to Frenchay Hospital for further treatment.