Family desperate to thank three good samaritans who helped mum, 81, after fall in Prestatyn

Margaret Thomas, who lives in Prestatyn, broke her collar bone and sustained nasty injuries to her face, knees and shoulder when she fell on steps near the seafront on June 14.

Margaret, who turns 82 next month, had taken her dog Bruno, a French bulldog, out for a walk. She was walking usual route, through Tower Gardens to the seafront, and was practicing social distancing when people came near.

This meant she was walking near the steps rather than in the middle of the walkway when she fell.

Daughter Jennie said: "The accident happened about 8.30am / 9am.

"My mother fell down two steps - they are wide, steep and very rough.

"Luckily Bruno is quite a strong little dog and he remained on the top of the walkway stopping my mother falling any further as she had his lead in her hand.

The walk Margaret takes to get to the seafront / beach

"When she landed, she was flat out and face down. She managed to get her legs under her to stop herself falling further but couldn’t move any more than that."

Margaret called out to a gentleman who was walking towards her and asked him to take Bruno.

"She tried to get up but wasn't able to," Jennie said.

"The gentleman tried to help her but the pain was too great.

"My mother then noticed a couple walking along the lower walkway, adjacent to the beach and asked them if they could possibly help her get up. The woman stayed at the bottom as she had a dog but the man came up the steps and along with the gentleman helped get mother up.

"They then helped mother walk back through the estate and into her house. The man held her up and the gentleman and woman walked behind with the dogs.

"Once mother was inside they left."

Margaret sustained some nasty injuries

When Jennie, who lives in Watford, was made aware of what had happened and how much pain her mother was in, she called an ambulance nut due to Covid-19 regulations, Margaret had to attend hospital on her own.

Jennie explained: "When she got home, my mother called my brother Graham who lives in Llandraedr with his fiancée Michelle. They left home straight away however, they are some distance away so my mother called her friend and neighbour Sue Jones. Sue came and sat with my mother until Graham arrived.

"My mother also called me and I called for an ambulance when she explained how much pain she was in.

"The paramedics were with my mother for about an hour, diagnosing a suspected fractured collarbone before taking her to Glan Clwyd hospital. My mother said they were really nice and so good with her.

"She was at the hospital until 6.30pm when my brother went and collected her from the hospital.

"The hospital did ask whether she wanted to stay in or go home and an ambulance transfer would have been possible but there was quite a wait time for one, hence my brother collecting."

Jennie described the fall as a 'terrible shock' for her mother.

Margaret was out walking her French Bulldog Bruno

"She has a broken collar bone on her left hand side, scraped and bruised knees where she landed, her left hand side of her body and arm are very badly bruised, and where she hit her face on the floor she has a lump on her cheek bone, a large scrape and a bruised face," Jennie added.

"After being stuck in her house on her own since lockdown began, her daily walks were a great source of enjoyment for her.

"Since the accident she is very shaky and needs to use a walking stick, she’s in a lot of pain and is on a number of painkillers and antibiotics.

"I’ve been staying with her since her accident, helping with washing, dressing, cleaning, shopping, cooking and cleaning and taking mother to the hospital for her two week check up.

"She had her two week check up last Wednesday where she had more x-rays and a different type of sling put on her arm.

Margaret has been left black and blue

"Her bruises are fading from the black, purple and green to purple, yellow and mauve now. Her scrapes have scabbed over and are healing well. She is using a walking stick now though."

Jennie, who is on Furlough which has enabled her to come and care for her mother, said Margaret is desperate to find out who the people were who helped her.

She said: "She want to properly thank them for their kindness in coming to her aid and helping her.

"There wasn’t anyway in which she could have got herself up and back home without them, she couldn’t call for help as she’d left her phone at home that day.

"They saved her from being stuck there, simple as that, good samaritans.

"She just wants them to know how very, very grateful she is to them and thank them profusely."

Margaret was left with some nasty bruising

Margaret said: "I was on the steps towards the prom in Prestatyn when I had a fall. An gentleman and some other people, a couple, rushed to my aid.

"I've been left black and blue and I broke my collar bone.

"I think they [those who helped] may live on my estate - they brought me home

"The man tried to get me up and the couple got me up and walked me all the way home - I was very lucky.

"My son is looking after my dog. I can't move, my arm is still in a sling.

"I just went down and hit my face. I scraped my face and landed on my shoulder.

"I went down two big steps. I might have turned around. It just happened so quickly."

Email suzanne.kendrick@newsquest.co.uk if you know who the kind strangers are.