THE son of an elderly man involved in a serious car crash in Pontypool town centre has praised the work of the team who he feels have saved his father’s life.

On Tuesday, March 28, 81-year-old Michael Jones was hit by a car in George Street and was taken to Cardiff’s University of Wales Hospital after suffering a severe head trauma.

The pensioner, of High Street, Tranch, remained in a coma for over a week, but son Mark Jones has confirmed his dad is on the mend.

“He has had three bleeds on the brain but that is under control and he has come around now,” said Mark Jones, 54, of Campbell Street, Wainfelin.

“The care he has received from the paramedics – the Air Ambulance and the hospital staff – has been fantastic.

“I would say that they have saved his life.”

Mark Jones described his father as very independent and tough as old boots, but added that the family are still looking for answers two weeks on from the crash.

“The ironic thing was that he had driven down into Pontypool town centre to get a ‘get well soon’ card for his sister who lives in Watford after she had had a stroke,” he said.

“There is a long road to recovery ahead of us, but we don’t know at this stage how much longstanding damage has happened.

“Last weekend, they managed to get him out of bed and into the chair, but he still can’t use his legs.

“For our own piece of mind though, we want to know what has happened as my dad won’t be able to remember.

“I have made a request to get access to the CCTV footage from Pontypool town centre and I am still waiting to hear back on that from the police,” said Mark Jones.

On the day of the crash, Gwent Police confirmed that a pedestrian had been involved in an incident with a red Skoda in Pontypool town centre at around 2.40pm.

But, a Gwent Police spokeswoman confirmed that no one has been arrested or charged in relation to the incident.

A spokesman for the Welsh Ambulance Service added: “We were called at about 2.40pm on Tuesday, March 28, to reports that a man had been hit by a car on George Street, Pontypool.

“We sent a paramedic in a rapid response vehicle, a crew in an emergency ambulance and the Wales Air Ambulance and an elderly man was taken by road to the University Hospital of Wales.”