CHAGFORD residents and the emergency services are calling for safety measures to protect pedestrians after a near double fatality in the town on Sunday morning.

Geoff Stephens risked his own life to save nine-month-old Morgan Philpott when a car mounted the pavement and pushed the child's pram through a newsagent window.

Mr Stephens, who is expected to be scarred for life after suffering severe lacerations to the head, said next time someone might not be as lucky.

'I am very concerned for people's safety — this is not the first time an accident has occurred here.

'We need bollards or something to stop cars hitting pedestrians.'

Little Morgan was in his pushchair on the pavement with his grandmother when the car headed towards it.

Without hesitation, Mr Stephens, who saw what was happening, dived forward to snatch the baby out of the pram, which was completely crushed as the car ploughed into the shop front.

He was thrown through the shop's plate glass window by the impact and both he and the baby were injured by flying glass.

Both were transported to the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital suffering from shock, lacerations and loss of blood.

The sales manager, who needed 40 stitches to a head wound, has been hailed a hero by

Morgan's parents, Martin and Sharon, but he said anybody would have done the same thing.

'I am grateful for all the thanks, but I just acted on instinct. It all happened in less than ten seconds. Anyone would have done it.'

As soon as he heard about the accident on Sunday, Martin Philpott, an ex-fireman and paramedic rushed to the scene to assist his former colleagues, unaware that his son was involved.

'I turned the corner and saw my son's pushchair crumpled in a heap,' he said. 'There is no doubt the guy saved my son's life. He acted in an incredibly brave manner.

'We are all very shocked but thankful our son is alive. Without

Geoff he would not be here today.'

Mr Philpott said the lower side of Chagford Square had been the scene of several incidents over the years involving cars and pedestrians and it really was 'a serious accident waiting to happen'.

'We are making a plea to the parish council to help us in getting something done to improve safety,' he added. 'There desperately needs some safety measure in place to prevent anything like this ever happening again.'

Chagford Fire Station commander Iain Rice, who attended the scene, said it was potentially a double fatality.

'Everybody goes on about the inconvenience if they cannot park on the street in Chagford but it is about time we thought about the safety dimension. If that baby had not been scooped out of the pram there is no way it would have survived.'

Traffic officer Ian Strawbridge is also raising the issue of highway safety with Devon County Council.

Police said the incident involved an 81-year-old lady motorist whose car mounted the pavement as it was being parked.