Dorset County Show: Runaway tractor terror (From Thisisdorset)
When news happens send us your pictures, video and views. Text BE to 80360 or contact us by email
Dorset County Show: Runaway tractor terror
10:00am Monday 6th September 2010 in
A DISABLED woman had a lucky escape after a runaway tractor crashed into her mobility scooter at the Dorset County Show.
Amputee Ann Topp, 73, was sent crashing into a stall in the dramatic accident.
The tractor, part of a static display on top of a hill on the east side of the Dorchester showground, careered down a slope for about 100 metres before colliding with Mrs Topp.
It is not known what caused it to move but a boy was seen playing on it moments before.
Witnesses described how bystanders battled in vain to stop the tractor and emergency services said it ‘miraculously’ missed other people. No one else was injured.
Mrs Topp suffered serious bruising to her left leg and arm in the accident on Saturday afternoon and was sent home after treatment at Dorset County Hospital.
Mrs Topp lost her right leg in a road traffic accident in 1989.
Recovering at her Upwey home, Mrs Topp said: “They told me I was very lucky. Children could have been killed in the accident in my opinion so I think we were all lucky. My leg is badly bruised and swollen. I’m still shaking thinking about what happened.”
Mrs Topp visited the show with her son Neil, his wife Chris and their son Daryll.
Recalling the drama, she said: “I heard people shouting ‘Get out of the way.’ I thought it was part of the show and was expecting Titan the robot to appear.
“Then I saw the tractor. It was going away from me but it must have hit a stone or something as it suddenly veered towards me and pushed me into the stalls where all the display items came down on top of me. I tipped over and that’s all I can remember.”
Mrs Topp said she was glad she was in a robust scooter as it softened the impact.
Family members and others rushed to help Mrs Topp who was trapped underneath her scooter and the tractor.
Police said the owner of the tractor, from Abbotsbury, was not present when the accident happened.
A Dorset Police spokesman said: “Police and the family of Mrs Topp would like to thank everyone who assisted her including an off-duty doctor and paramedic.”
A South Western Ambulance Service spokesman said: “The tractor miraculously missed loads and loads of people.
“It did not roll over and the woman suffered only minor injuries.”
Speaking at the scene, Inspector Les Fry of Dorchester Police said: “It looks like it was just an accident but we are investigating. We had a tractor roll away and it knocked a lady off her mobility scooter.”
Insp Fry added: “Fortunately, the emergency services were on site and were able to respond efficiently and promptly.”
Show secretary Sam Mackenzie-Green said: “I have spoken to the family and it’s really good that Mrs Topp is home and doing fine.”
She added: “When you are going to entertain this many people something like that can always happen.
“We do various incident planning exercises throughout the year and it’s good to know the system works.
“The stewards were fantastic and for a team of volunteers it really is a credit to them that they can handle things like that.”
Mrs Mackenzie-Green said the tractors were moved to a different location within an hour of the accident and organisers will take the safety aspects on board for next year.
Comments(4)
JANEAUSTEN
says...
7:22pm Mon 6 Sep 10
snowleopard
says...
8:59pm Mon 6 Sep 10
I don't know how easy it is to release the handbrake and take a tractor out of gear, I would have thought it was not that easy with the older tractor.
However what happened to basic risk assessment?
Open area - unattended vehicle - expectation of public sitting at controls - parked on hill in straight line instead of at an angle.
Why no wheel chocks of sufficient size in place?
Why on a hill to start with, moving all tractors an hour later is a typical locking stable door after horse has bolted action.
I wonder how many 'no win no fee' lawyers are beating a path to that poor lady's home?
portlandresident
says...
12:01pm Wed 8 Sep 10
As the show secretary said... "We do various incident planning exercises throughout the year and it’s good to know the system works".
I hope that this incident doesn't prevent the show from being a crowd puller for many years to come.
More Latest stories
- Expert says trade revival needed in Weymouth town centre
- Woman with broken ankle airlifted to safety
- 70 firefighters tackle Ringwood blaze
- Shock as children allowed to play on landslide in Burton Bradstock
- Police hunt after A35 hit-and-run
- MP Conor Burns: hurry up on NHS reforms
- Single turbine plan for Purbeck quarry
- Patient at Cerne Abbas care home died of natural causes
Police and St John Ambulance crew help Mrs Topp after her mobility scooter was hit by a runaway tractor at the Dorset County Show
Most popular
Local Information
Enter your postcode, town or place name
mandy69 says...
6:50pm Mon 6 Sep 10
The next minute has played over in my head a hundred times since it happened with ever imaginable outcome because it was so clear, so sureal and in slow motion.
Once I understood what was happening and I could see it's intended destination was the middle of our stand I went to move to one side and hopefully out of it's path but I had to head back to the marquee because I couldn't remember if my children were in danger at the back of the tent or were in the van. Whilst my back was turned and the tractor was no more than 3 metres away, it hit a bump in the grass turning the wheels diverting it from our path sharply to the right. As I turned back I saw it plough into the side of an elderly lady on a mobility scooter and push her into Purrr-fection Pets who had the trade stand next to us. The incredible force with which it hit her can only be described as similar to a train. Half of their stand was completely trashed and steel marque supports were bent and mangled and the lady herself was trapped underneath the tractor. The seat had been ripped out of it's metal fixings at the base but thankfully the base of the scooter finally jammed the wheels of the tractor to stop it's progress.
Members of the public managed to manouver the 1 ton tractor off of the women who was lying amongst a pile broken plastic and metal and the Ambulance arived within seconds. Mirraculously she was released from hospital later that night with cuts and bruises, but i can't stop thinking about all the "What if's".
What if the tractor hadn't turned at the last minute?
What if it had turned more and mowed down numerous people?
What if it had been a hour earlier when the hillside was full of families having picnics?
This is one of life's freak accidents and I'm going to concentrate on the positive and thank whatever act of fate or spiritual force saved me and my family from harm yesterday, I just hope I haven't used up one of my lives!