Woman trapped under van in horror ordeal

Warth Mill, Hudersfield Road, Diggle, where a woman was trapped under van.

A WOMAN was left fighting for her life after becoming trapped under the wheels of a reversing van.

Horrified passers-by looked on as swarms of police, three fire engines and two ambulances worked to free the 52-year-old as she endured a harrowing 20-minute ordeal.

It’s believed the woman was looking at a brochure, distracting her from the white Iveco van’s movement.

The drama unfolded in the yard of the former Diggle pallet works at Wharf Mill, Huddersfield Road, at 12.50pm yesterday.

Eyewitness Liam Lawlor, who works at Just Plain Carpets, said: “I could hear screaming outside so I went out of the shop and saw the woman underneath the back wheels.

“She was still crying out and looked really distressed. I was in total shock. I ran back inside to phone for an ambulance, I couldn’t believe it.”

Emergency services arrived to free the woman, suffering leg, head and suspected internal injuries. An air ambulance circled above and children were stopped from heading to Bouncers indoor play area.

Dale Howard, owner of Diggle Motor Services, was one of the first on the scene.

He said: “It sounded like a child playing, but after the third scream we knew something was wrong.

“The adrenaline kicked in and I knew we had to help her so I quickly got a jack from the garage and pumped up the van to ease some of the weight.”

He tried to reassure the trapped woman, adding: “I felt absolutely sick afterwards. But it could have been a lot worse.”

Firefighters freed the woman who was then taken to the Royal Oldham Hospital. She was in a poorly but stable condition this morning.

The van driver is said to be suffering from shock.

Police will now investigate whether the van had reversing warning sounds as part of ongoing inquiries.

Anyone with information is asked to call police on 0161-856 8802.