NIGHTMARE TRIP.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20231, 15 February 1934, Page 9

NIGHTMARE TRIP.

Injured Farmer Brought From Lees Valley. FRACTURED SPINE. Lying in the Christchurch Hospital, encased in plaster Of paris, and with his spine fractured, is Mr Edwin Mansfield Gibson, a Lees Valiev sheep farmer, who was injured when he fell over a cliff on Tuesday last. He was brought into Christchurch last night by the St John Ambulance, after a nightmare trip lasting five hours. This morning his condition had improved considerably. It was a little after seven o’clock on Tuesdav evening that Mr Gibson met with the accident that resulted in his spine being fractured. He had gone up the hillside, accompanied by a companion. and was about a mile and a half from his home when he slipped and rolled over a cliff, dropping about fiftv feet. His companion at once rushed back to the house and informed Mrs Gibson what had occurred and summoned the neighbours from all parts of the valley to come to give assistance. Fog and Rain. Thick fog and heavy rain delayed the progress of the ambulance and darkness came on with the worst part of the journey still to be covered. The patient’s condition also made it necessary to restrict speed to a minimum, but the co-operation of the settlers was of the utmost value and assistance by means of the telephone all the men in the valley were informed that the ambulance was on its way out, and at each danger point there was a man to give directions to the driver. Others rode on horseback ahead to open stock gates and let the ambulance through. At the Ashley ford a team of horses was ready to tow the ambulanqe across the stream, which was rising on account of the heavy rain. Once Oxford was reached the worst was over as far as the journey was concerned but the ambulance could not travel at speed, and made an enforced slow journey to the hospital.