INJURED MAN'S ORDEAL

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 18962, 12 March 1936, Page 15

INJURED MAN'S ORDEAL

THREE HOURS OF AGONY

BOTTOM OF CULVERT

SYDNEY, March 3. Sidney Norris, 50, of Lucas road,. Burwooil, lay helpless ami in agony, for morn than three hours, with rain beating down on him, after he fell from the railway track into an open culvert near Otford, on the main South Coast line, yesterday. Norris was found by blackberry pickers. He had to wait nearly another hour ibei'pre a Ball could be pui through to the Sutherland Ambulance, ibut lie endured his injuries with fortitude, drinking tea and smoking cigarettes.

Norris and another man left Sydney on Saturday night for Otford, intending to gather blackberries. Having arranged Ito meet later, they set out from Otford in different directions before dawn yesterday. Norris made for a place near the entrance to the Otford railway tunnel, where blackberries grow in profusion. He walked along it he railway track, between the two sets of rails. In the darkness lie failed to see 'the culvert, and stepped over the edge, falling about 12ft. to a concrete Ibed below. The upper part of his right leg was fractured, and he suffered other injuries. In great pain, Norris crawled out of the stream to the grass beside the culvei't, and lay there. The accident occurred at f> a.m., and he was not found until after 8 a.m., when the blackberry pickers saw him. A stretcher was procured from a nearby camp, ntid Norris was carried along the line to the Otford railway bridge, while other men sought a Telephone. The Sutherland Ambulance took Norris to St. George Hospital.