A POLICE officer gave first aid to an elderly man who collapsed while walking along the A120.

PC Andy Long was patrolling near Braintree when a call came in about concerns for a man who was struggling to walk.

After finding the man, PC Long spoke to him about where he was going and how far he had walked, at which point the man collapsed.

PC Long gave first aid, called an ambulance and reassured the man, who had dementia, until paramedics arrived.

PC Long, who works as rural and heritage crime officer, said: "I’d like to thank the three people who were passing and stopped to offer assistance.

"They could see that I was dealing with this situation by myself and we were all quite concerned for the man.

"I’d also like to thank the public who were patient and understanding while this incident delayed their journey."