A TEENAGER who helped three victims of a serious road crash was given a tour of the ambulance command centre which received his emergency call.

Nathan Johnston, 14, was thanked by staff at Yorkshire Ambulance Service in York and presented with a commendation certificate.

The Archbishop Holgate's School pupil was picked up from his school by ambulance for the special visit to the headquarters on Shipton Road.

Nathan, who attends St John Ambulance, in Clifton, York, was shown the control room where staff handle calls from all over North and East Yorkshire and direct emergency vehicles using a high-tech computer system.

He said: "It is great to actually see the place which picked up my 999 call and find out how it was dealt with.

"Since the crash, people I don't even know have been coming up to me to say well done, which is quite surprising. But I'm glad I did the right thing."

Operators demonstrated how calls are assessed and prioritised before the closest available ambulance is picked up on a digital map and directed to the scene.

A counter on the wall shows how many emergency calls have been visited within the eight minute target each day.

Nathan, of Stamford Bridge, was on a bus home from school two weeks ago when he was caught up in traffic behind the horror smash between two lorries and two cars on the A166 at Holtby.

He jumped off and went to comfort a truck driver, who was trapped in his cab, before tending to an elderly woman with back and neck pain and a younger woman suffering from shock.

David Butterfield, area manager for the ambulance service, who handed him a framed certificate, said: "I only wish more people were like Nathan.

"He did all the right things. He spoke to the patients and gave them comfort that an ambulance was on the way, as well giving first aid. I think first aid should be made compulsory in schools so more young people have the skills Nathan has."

Operational supervisor Chris Knight, who was on the first ambulance at the crash scene, described seeing the youngster already helping a local off-duty doctor support the neck of the elderly woman.

He said: "I came across Nathan sitting in the back of a car supporting one of the patients, which was really helpful as we were then able to get on with the business of providing medical treatment.

"Nathan also assisted in transferring the lady to the ambulance. He gets full marks for what he did."

The teenager, who is one of only three people to receive a commendation this year, hopes to train to be a trauma nurse, which will involve working closely with paramedics.

Chris Badere, the controlroom operator who received Nathan's call, said: "He gave us lots more information about how many casualties there were and their injuries, so we knew in advance what we were dealing with."