AN ELDERLY Ludlow woman who had a fall whilst out delivering election leaflets wants to thank two strangers who came to her rescue as well as NHS staff who helped her.

Susan McCormack was out leafleting near the Charlton Arms when the 86-year-old former Ludlow town councillor had a fall.

But she says she has nobody to blame but herself.

“Near the Charlton Arms I jumped down from a bank onto a pavement, missed my footing and ended up on my head, not feet, giving my head a real crack on the pavement,” said Ms McCormack.

She was shaken but two good Samaritans who were passing came to her aid.

“The drivers of two cars, Robert who works at Boots and a lady whose name I did not hear, who works at the garage, left their cars to help me and call an ambulance.

“They stayed and looked after me keeping me chatting, until the ambulance from Hereford arrived after about 45 minutes.

“The crew took over, and saw me, comfortable and safe, to the A&E at Hereford Hospital, where I was tested and checked and even had my hair washed to remove the red blood staining it had acquired!”

There was more kindness and further help when Ms McCormack, who has no family living close, realised that she did not know how she was going to get home to Ludlow.

“I was offered free drinks and food,” she said.

But then there was the problem of how to get home 30 miles away.

“I had told the staff I had no money with me and wondered how I was going to get home as none of my family live in the area,” she added.

Her stay in the hospital lasted several hours but after the checks she was told that it would not be necessary for her to be kept in overnight which was a good thing but did cause another problem.

As she had no relatives living close and there was no public transport, the big question was how she would get home.

“Late in the evening I was told I was being taken home by an old ambulance, not the emergency one,” Ms McCormack added.

“Two ladies took me all the way to Ludlow, right to my door, at no charge, arriving about 10pm.”

She said that she found the kindness and care all the more remarkable because of the pressure the NHS has been under.

“What kind and generous treatment, when people have all been so overworked and under pressure for the past year, and I had caused the accident myself,” she said.

“May I thank them all for their generosity.”

Now she would like to find out who the lady was that came to her rescue so that she can thank her.

As for the future, although shaken up, Ms McCormack says that she is fortunate not to have been seriously hurt and hopes to be out and about on the campaign trail before the elections in May.

She is also a former member of the old South Shropshire District Council.