A STAR of the hit BBC1 series Casualty is searching for the doctor who saved his life after a horror crash in France.

Actor John Vine, 67, has played five characters in the TV drama, including one in an episode when a car ploughed into a church hall.

But fiction turned to reality for John and his family during a holiday in Dieppe when they were involved in a late night car accident.

After leaving a party celebrating sister Leslie’s 70th birthday, a vehicle ploughed into his Nissan Micra at a roundabout.

John, from Shoreham, took the full impact of the collision and was quickly losing blood from a gash on his head.

Only the intervention of a doctor, believed to be from Brighton, may have saved his life.

And now he wants to meet his saviour to say thank you.

John, from Western Road, said: “There was hardly any traffic around at the time and it happened in less than one second.

“Suddenly there was an almighty bang. I was in the front passenger seat and I took the full impact of the collision. I had never seen so much blood, not even in an episode of Casualty. It was pouring from my head.

“I had gone through this on stage many times but I soon realised this was for real. They got me out of the car and I sat on a rock.

“My clothes were bright red. I was semi-conscious and losing blood.”

It was then that a mystery doctor, believed to be called Fraser and from Brighton, appeared on the scene,

John said: “All I can remember is a man saying to me ‘John, please stay awake, stay with me, don’t go asleep, look at me, keep chatting to me’.

“It took about five minutes for the ambulance to arrive.

“In that vital time, who knows what would have happened if this kind man hadn’t suddenly appeared to stop the bleeding?

“From what I can remember, the main concern was that I was losing too much blood.”

John was taken to hospital and is now back at home recovering with a seven-inch gash from his eyebrow across his skull.

The car was a write-off.

John contacted The Argus to see if we could help him track down the mystery saviour.

John said: “He said his name was Fraser and he had a distinct Liverpool accent.

“He had long blond hair and he said that he was a doctor from Brighton.

“It would be great to meet up with him.

“What he did was so kind and I would love the opportunity to say thank you.”

Are you Fraser or do you know who he is? If so, call Peter Lindsey at the Argus on 01273 021382.