Honiton Running Club Drama (Friday 11^th June 2004)

 On Friday evening, June 11th 2004, Honiton Running Club ventured on one of the regular trail runs not anticipating an emergency was only minutes away. We all departed from Weston-Mouth car park at around 7:00 p.m. intending to complete our regular run to Branscombe and along the coastal path back to Weston. When we were approximately 1 ¼ miles from the park car Maria Hodson, one of our regular runners, stumbled on an uneven path, shrieked and fell over.

 It quickly became apparent that Maria was in consider pain and in a state of shock. While some of the party attempted to make Maria comfortable and offer reassurance, two members ran back to Weston car park to summon the emergency services. After confirming the location of the accident the Ambulance team arrived from Honiton in a little over 10 minutes.

Having established the nature of the injury & distance to the patient, everyone returned to attend to Maria, the Sidmouth Coastguard team were also in hot pursuit.

The paramedics & coastguard quickly decided that, due to the remote location, access difficulties and time of night, they would call on the Coastguard Air Rescue team, from Portland, to ferry Maria to Hospital. Within 30 minutes the Helicopter found the location then Maria along with a paramedic and friend Sharon Hook were taken to Dorchester Hospital for Medical attention.

After Examination, x-rays revealed that Maria had a fractured three bones in her foot and possible damage to ligaments. After the application of a plaster cast Maria was released from hospital and eventually returned home at 2:00 .am.

Maria expressed her thanks to the Para-medics, coastguards & fellow club members for their prompt care and attention. She also felt dismayed that weeks of training & fund raising for the Race for Life, in July, were wasted.

Doctors have advised her that she will be in a plaster cast for 6 to 8 weeks plus an extra few weeks of physio-therapy.

Addendum

By February 2005 Maria started running again but after some discomfort, and a visit to the X-ray clinic, a chip of bone was "floating around" and more surgery was required. She will return.