FOURTEEN HOURS IN WATER

Hawera Star, Volume LI, 4 May 1931, Page 5

FOURTEEN HOURS IN WATER

NIGHT SPENT IN OPEN DITCH. AGED WOMAN'S TRYING ORDEAL. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) AVELLINGTON, May 3. Unable to stir from -water into -which she had fallen, an old woman, Mrs F. J. England, Newlauds, aged 7(3, sport, all Saturday night in an open ditch. She was not found until 14 hours after her fall. She was taken to hospital, where her condition to-day was reported to be satisfactory. Setting out to visit some friends shortly after 8 o’clock on Saturday night/ Mrs England started to cross .paddocks. While on the way she fell into a ditch partially filled with water, which covered her body. She was unable to raise herself from it, and was forced to wait until someone discovered her or heard her calls. She lives alone in a small house on the main road at Newlauds, and her absence was not likely to be noticed, her friends believing she had decided to «tay at home on account, of the coldness of the night. It was at 10 o’clock this morning that a cyclist who was passing heard groans, and on investigating found the woman. After her removal from the water, which was no easy task, the free ambulance was called and conveyed her to the hospital. She was suffering «o verely from exposure and shock.