A Harrogate man saved an 11-month-old baby from choking to death after spotting a mother in distress on the M62 this week.

Liam Brown of Harrogate Automation Ltd was stuck in traffic on the motorway with his boss, Alex Eadington, on their way to a supplier in Warrington on Tuesday.

The pair noticed a car pull on to the hard shoulder and then a woman got out “screaming for help in desperation”.

Liam continued:

“We then saw a man get out of the car – it was the mother’s grandfather – and he was shaking a baby.

“He was screaming for help too.”

(left) Heroes Liam Brown and Alex Eadington, the owner of Harrogate Automation.

It was then that the men, who were still stuck in traffic, realised the baby was choking.

Alex, the driver, pulled the van on to the hard shoulder and Liam instinctively ran to help.

Liam said:

“I literally ran and just grabbed the baby, squatted down on one knee and place it over my knee to pat its back.

“I learned first aid in 2014, so I just tried to implement everything I’d learned to help.”

Mr Brown said the baby was convulsing and he could hear a rattling sound coming from around its mouth.

“I knew something was stuck at that point.

“I really gently put my finger in its mouth and pulled out a plastic wrapper.”

Fortunately, the baby’s breathing then steadied according to Mr Brown.

He added:

“There wasn’t much thought to it really.

“Alex and I are both fathers and it felt like a parental instinct to help – I couldn’t just watch and do nothing.”

Satisfied the baby had recovered, the two men returned to their van to continue their journey.

The baby’s mother, Lola Taylor of Salford, shared a message she’d sent to Harrogate Automation Ltd on social media:

“Just a quick message to thank your amazing team for the support and help they gave to my baby this morning.

“My baby was choking and two gentleman kindly pulled over and saved my baby’s life!

“If it wasn’t for that man my baby wouldn’t have survived – I’m honestly so so grateful.”

Ms Taylor also posted on her social media:

“What a traumatic experience. We are so so lucky.

“If it wasn’t for that man pulling over things would have been so different now.”

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Roads

Temporary traffic lights are due to arrive today on Harrogate’s busy Cold Bath Road for five weeks as Northern Gas Networks carries out maintenance work, according to North Yorkshire County Council’s live roadworks map. This is likely to cause considerable delays.

Roadworks are also taking place on nearby Victoria Road, where a diversion is in place.

Elsewhere in Harrogate, long-term work on Crescent Road means motorists are unable to turn left at the Parliament Street junction. Traffic coming the opposite way on Ripon Road is unable to turn right.

Montpellier Road remains closed until October 12 as Northern Gas Networks carries out maintenance work.

Roadworks are also due from 9am to 7pm today on Leadhill Crescent.

Drivers should expect the usual Friday morning rush hour delays on key routes, such as Wetherby Road, Knaresborough Road and Skipton Road but it is the first Walk to School day this term, which may reduce congestion slightly.

At Blossomgate in Ripon, work is due to take place to replace and reset the kerb and improve the road.

Further afield, anyone travelling eastbound on the M62 this morning should be aware of early morning problems.

2 lanes (of 3) remain closed on the #M62 eastbound in #WestYorkshire between J29 (for the #M1) and J30 (#Rothwell) whilst recovery is ongoing for a lorry involved in a collision.

There's just over 2 miles of congestion on approach so allow extra journey time this morning. pic.twitter.com/RKU3rvh5XP

— National Highways: Yorkshire (@HighwaysYORKS) October 7, 2022

Trains and buses

No rail strikes today, but another day of strikes is expected tomorrow.

Northern, which operates services through Harrogate and Knaresborough, has urged passengers not to travel on strike days.

As for today, Northern services between Harrogate and Knaresborough going to York and Leeds are scheduled to run as normal this morning.

But rail passengers on Harrogate’s LNER services have been warned to expect disruption until the end of the weekend..

Major engineering works in the Newcastle area by Network Rail will affect many services on the LNER route during this period.

Meanwhile, the Harrogate Bus Company is not reporting any problems this morning.

You can check service updates here.

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National Highways is warning of three-mile delays on the M62.

Roadworks remain in place outside the tourist information centre in Harrogate town centre.

Rail strikes return tomorrow.

Here is your Stray Ferret traffic update.

Roads

National Highways issued a news release at 6.05am warning motorists the M62 in West Yorkshire is closed between junctions 25 (Brighouse) and 26 (Bradford). The incident has cleared but at 6.40am there were still long tailbacks.

All lanes have now reopened on the #M62 in both directions between J26 (#Bradford) and J25 (#Brighouse) following the earlier @WestYorksPolice incident. There is still approx. 3 miles of congestion on approach both ways, please allow extra time for your journey this morning. pic.twitter.com/AiEUPKD54E

— National Highways: Yorkshire (@HighwaysYORKS) October 4, 2022

In Harrogate town centre, roadworks remain in place outside Harrogate tourist information on Crescent Road. There is no left-turn for traffic turning left at the end of Parliament Street and no right-turn for traffic travelling right in the opposite direction on Ripon Road.

Temporary traffic lights are due to be installed on Cold Bath Road for five weeks later this week.

The A59 York Road, between Station Road and the A658 at Goldsborough, remains closed overnight until October 6. A diversion will be in place.

The closure will be in place while North Yorkshire County Council carries out resurfacing work. The council website says the work will be  carried out between 8pm and 5am but one reader told us yesterday it was until 6am.

Delays are also expected today at Castlegate in Knaresborough where junction markings are being refreshed,

As previously reported, a main road out of Pateley Bridge will be closed for six weeks as repairs are carried out at Fellbeck bridge on the B6265.

Signs for a diversion and a temporary crossing over the river for pedestrians and cyclists are in place.

Trains and buses

Northern is not reporting any problems for commuters on the Harrogate and Knaresborough line this morning. The only incident is that no services are stopping at Rotherham Central due to the attempted theft of signalling cables.

But remember, another train strike is due tomorrow, crippling local services.

Disruption is expected on Harrogate’s LNER services until October 9 due to major engineering works in the Newcastle area by Network Rail.

The Harrogate Bus Company has not posted details of any service issues this morning.