A taxi driver has been strongly praised for his bravery, having saved a 69 year old woman who fell into a 7 foot ditch.
Taxi driver, Keith Graham was driving Barbara Jaye, her husband Alan and a friend to visit the north coast, near Belfast's Giants' Causeway. It was then that Barbara stopped to be sick. The trio had just come off the Sky Princess Cruise Ship.
Alan had also told Belfast Radio, that despite being under the weather for a few days beforehand, Barbara insisted that she was okay to travel.
"The Giants Causeway was about 70 miles from the ship and whilst she stayed in the taxi most of the time", he said. "She started to feel sick. On the way back, she asked the driver to stop so he pulled over quickly".
He also added, "As she stepped out of the cab onto a grassy embankment, she lost her footing and fell headfirst into a grassy bramble filled ditch, narrowly missing an old fence post. If she'd had fallen on that, the outcome could have been very different".
Alan then explained how his wife was unable to move after her coat got caught in the brambles. She also passed out after her fall.
He also added that she was eventually rescued thanks to the "brave actions" of taxi driver, Keith Graham.
He said, "She was eventually rescued by the brave actions of Mr Graham, close friend Howard Brenner and myself all of whom braved the rain and awful conditions, climbed into the ditch without fear for their own safety and managed to physically pull Barbara from danger".
Alan continued, "Barbara was wedged upside down in the ditch and was caught up in the brambles so could not turn herself around. I could only get about halfway down the side of the ditch but Keith jumped down and somehow managed to turn Barbara so that I could grab one arm".
"By this time she had passed out so with me pulling and Keith pushing, we managed to get her halfway up the side of the ditch and then Howard was able to grab her other arm and we manhandled her back onto the verge. We could not have managed this without Keith. He deserves a bravery award".
Thankfully, Barbara only suffered minor injuries following her fall. She is now recovering back in the ship, heading to Le Harve.
Alan and Barbara had been celebrating their 48th wedding anniversary. Certainly one they won't forget!
