Fall pensioner meets saviour

AN Oldham pensioner was overcome with emotion when she was reunited with the woman who came to her rescue after she fell and broke her hip.

Norah Whiteside (76), who has dementia, took a tumble while taking her dog to the vet, as the Evening Chronicle reported earlier this month.

Good Samaritan Clare Smith (29) saw Mrs Whiteside on the ground and went over to help.

The telesales worker got out of her car and recognised that Mrs Whiteside needed support, so she sat back-to-back with the pensioner for an hour until an ambulance arrived.

After receiving treatment at the Royal Oldham Hospital, Mrs Whiteside contacted the Evening Chronicle in a bid to find her mystery helper so she could thank her in person.Word got back to Miss Smith who subsequently visited Mrs Whiteside in hospital.

Miss Smith said: “When I saw Norah lying on the ground I knew she needed help and I didn’t think twice.

“When I heard the story was in the paper and that she wanted to see me I couldn’t believe it, I was quite touched.

“When I visited her at the hospital she was really emotional, she shouted, ‘My hero, my hero, you saved my life’. She was lovely and it was great to see her again.”

Miss Smith left the scene of the accident when the ambulance arrived because she knew Mrs Whiteside was then in good hands.

But she said: “I was a bit upset when I had left because I wanted to know if she was okay but quickly realised I had no way of contacting her so finding out she is doing well in hospital really made my day.”

She dismissed the hero tag, saying she would expect anyone to do the same in her position, adding: “If a family member of mine was in a similar situation I would expect someone to do the same but I suppose that is just my nature. Unfortunately not everybody is like that anymore.”