Four quick-thinking members of the public were commended for their brave actions in helping rescue a junior doctor who was pinned beneath her overturned campervan following a freak accident on Whinlatter.
The quartet sprang into action when they happened across the incident on the Lake District pass on August 31 last year, which saw 27-year-old Elle Stott, of Liverpool, fighting for her life under the crushing weight of the campervan that had flipped over after striking a rock.
Ms Stott had been enjoying a bank holiday weekend in the Lakes with her friends, and had just said goodbye to them when the accident happened. She had parked her campervan in a layby and went to retrieve something from the back of the van, but as soon as she closed the doors it started to roll away.
She attempted to jump in the passenger door and pull on the handbrake but said she believed the van struck a rock as it jarred and then fell back from a height and landed on her, crushing her from the chest down.
Peter and Susan Fish came across the accident with Hayley Perry-Nichols, of Hull, and Sandra Millican, of Greystoke, and it was their prompt and courageous actions which led to them receiving a certificate of congratulation from Cumbria’s chief fire officer John Beard at a “proud and emotional” presentation evening on Monday.
Mr Fish, a former engineer, used a large log as a lever to release some pressure from Mrs Stott, giving her vital millimetres of breathing space that saved her life.
Mrs Fish and Ms Perry-Nichols both sat on the log while Mr Fish gave the emergency services valuable information which allowed the incident commander to plan and prepare for lifting the vehicle.
Throughout the episode, Ms Millican constantly reassured Ms Stott.
“The main thing is Eleanor survived,” said Mr Fish. “She’s a brave and lovely girl and even though there were three fire crews in attendance she spoke to every single person who helped her.
“I was just in the right place at the right time and knew what to do. I would never call myself a hero.
“They are a professional group of lads so I really appreciated what they said.”
Firefighters placed airbags underneath the van and cut out the windscreen before the North West Air Ambulance and the Great North Air Ambulance Service arrived on scene and assessed and treated Ms Stott.
Medics said that she was “blue and gasping” and very near to death. She had punctured both her lungs, had fractured ribs, a shattered pelvis and a lot of lower limb lacerations which required stitches.
Ms Stott has now made a pronounced recovery and is continuing her training as a doctor so she can be at the other end of the care-giving and save lives.
Craig Phillips, watch manager at Keswick fire station, said: “It really was a proud and emotional night. It was amazing to see the casualty attend and look as well as she did after the immense trauma she received.”
On the certificate, Mr Beard wrote: “The actions carried out by these individuals on this day … without a doubt increased the casualty’s chances of survival.
“It is an honour to present this certificate as an appreciation of all your actions on this day.”
