A QUICK-thinking hero pulled a toddler away from a busy road after he had become separated from his mother.

Simon Edwards, 27, of The Strand, Holywell, rushed to the aid of the boy, who was wandering alone in the town’s Tower Gardens.

As the toddler stepped out in front of oncoming traffic, Mr Edwards plucked him to safety.

Before the incident, Simon had been talking to a member of staff in Streets of Gold pawnbrokers.

He then noticed the toddler, believed to be two-years-old, heading towards Rue St Grégoire.

“I ran and grabbed him before he stepped in the road,” he said.

“He was very close to the road. He had become separated from his mum. I just ran straight to him.

“The first thing I thought was to get there and save him. It is a busy road and the traffic is bad. He was very lucky. I would have done the same for anyone.

“I wouldn’t want to see anyone get hurt.”

Emma Kenney, who works at Streets of Gold, said: “Simon was talking to me in the shop.

“We saw the young boy walking around on his own and he wasn’t paying much attention.

“When Simon saw him running out towards the road he ran after him. He was like lightning. The boy had one foot out in the road and Simon pulled him back.

“It was a quick-thinking and heroic thing to do. It is a really busy road and there are always cars on it. He saved the boy’s life.”

The shaken child was being comforted at the nearby Flintshire Wildlife and Pet Rescue shop until Simon performed his second good act of the day and found the boy’s mother.

He said: “I saw a woman crying in town and asked if she had lost her son, she said ‘yes’ and she went to collect him.”

Emma added: “When the boy’s mum found him, she was crying. She was really shaken.”

Cllr Peter York, mayor of Holywell, said: “It is nice the gentleman saved the boy from a serious accident or worse.

“It is nice he felt he could do something. These days people are very wary especially around children. This is a happy story with a good ending.”