Trapped Gina heaps praise on ‘heroes’

OLDHAM Mountain Rescue, paramedics and neighbours have been hailed heroes after coming to the rescue of a seriously ill woman trapped at home by the snow.

Gina Kobbe (54) collapsed in the early hours of Tuesday and huge snow drifts made it impossible for her to leave Heights Farm at Thurston Clough Road, High Moor.

Husband Eugene (67) feared the worst as he dialled 999 but paramedics, who had to leave their ambulance at the bottom of near-by Doctor Lane, were helped by the Oldham Mountain Rescue Team to plough through the snow.

Meanwhile, neighbour John Longden and his son John have been clearing roads and driveways to help with access.

Mr Kobbe, a retired doctor, said: “Gina had a chest infection and became very poorly with breathlessness and chest pains from all the coughing.

“She was in a lot of distress. With all the coughing she could have burst a lung, that was the danger.

“Mountain Rescue leader Mick Nield and his crew arrived, followed by the paramedics, and they gave her oxygen and treatment and took her to hospital.

“Ideally she would have been admitted but all the beds at the Royal Oldham Hospital were full at that time and she stayed in the discharge lounge.

“Her GP wanted to admit her on the same day but she was not keen on going in to hospital. She is getting bed rest and taking medication and is slightly better. We are hoping for the best.

“Mountain Rescue were brilliant and John Longden has been very good. Our drive has been blocked by the drifts and all the cars are stuck but he comes and clears it so we can walk to the main road.”

It’s just the latest example of the work Oldham Mountain Rescue has done to come to the aid of stricken residents and how the community is rallying round during the big freeze.
Gina has pledged to help with fundraising to give something back to the volunteers.

She said: “I would like to say a huge thanks to Oldham Mountain Rescue Team for getting me to hospital. Battling through all the blizzards, the team and the paramedics were fantastic.

“A&E was so busy, the staff were run off their feet, but I was lucky and stabilised fairly quickly. Mountain Rescue came again and brought me home. These guys are amazing and I dread to think what may have happened if they didn’t get through to me.

“I thought I was a goner the other night and maybe would have been without vital medical equipment. Those guys who do everything voluntarily are outstanding and as a local community we need to get together to help raise funds for them. As soon as I am able I shall be on to it.

“Also, without John Longden and his son John being good neighbours by bringing out their tractor with a snow plough to roads as often as they could, we wouldn’t have been able to get out anywhere since the snow came.

“They are the best neighbours anyone could ever need, they are there to help everyone within seconds.”