Please do not read if you are squeamish
I’ve told this tale of woe a couple of times on here but it bears a re-tell. It was 4 years ago and 6AM on a crisp autumn morning; mist was breaking in the steep sided river valley of Hollywell Dean and the first breath of winter was in the air. I was about 6 miles into a slow 9 miler accompanied by my dog Poppy a Japanese Akita/German Shepherd cross. I was running along a path at the top of a ‘V’ shaped river valley and about two miles from any road, the legs were working great and all was well with the World.
Poppy, who was young then was acting as pacemaker and her lazy lollop about 10 feet in front of me was a familiar sight to the early risers in my village. We were on a slight downhill stretch and I’d just started to pick up the pace. I’m not too sure what happened next but either a rabbit or a rat came darting out of the undergrowth and ran towards me Poppy saw it and flew after it straight into my path, I was too late to top and fell over the dog and down the steep sided valley towards the river below.
I’m sure it was Poppy licking my face who woke me, I was at the bottom of the valley next to the river, my face felt grazed and the branch of a tree was sticking into my chin, I tried to move and almost passed out with the pain – It wasn’t the branch of a tree that had punctured my skin, it was my right humorous which was broken and protruding through my shoulder for a good two inches. I was also bleeding very freely from the wound.
I had tumbled about 120 feet and was lying at a desperate angle and my only way out of there was back up the steep side of the valley and a walk along the path fro a mile or so – or I could lie there and hope someone was going to walk past.
I made my decision and god knows how I did it – but I managed to get to the top of the valley and use my T shirt as a compress to stem the flow of blood. I was shivering and dizzy from blood loss, shock and cold. I walked along the track for about a mile and a bit when I spied a woman walking her dog – she was on the other side of the river. I shouted over to her to help me, she was feeding a couple of swans bits of bread.
‘Hello” I shouted… “Have you got a mobile phone?”
She looked unsure and waved a piece of bread at me
“I’ve only got enough for the Swans” She replied looking at the bread
“No you daft bint… Have you got a mobile phone?”
I saw her expression change as she realised that this bare-chested blood soaked lunatic was about to wade the river towards her. She eventually phoned for an ambulance and another couple of early morning dog walkers came on the scene and led me to the road where an ambulance whisked me off to the local hospital
The result was a shoulder replacement and whilst I was under the knife they found I had a minor heart problem that is still un-going.
Poppy is old now (13), and can’t run nine miles anymore; she gamely attempts a trot along the beach every now and again which is as far as her old legs can manage – which is good… on the beach there are NO RABBITS!!!
