Pegasus Couriers driver 'rescues’ woman during floods
A good samaritan courier driver helped 'rescue' an elderly woman whose car broke down on a flooded road near Laurencekirk in Scotland on Friday night. (18/11/2022).
The incident comes after several roads across Aberdeenshire were shut down due to flooding.
Pegasus Couriers Dundee UPS Site Manager David Aitken helped an elderly woman who was left stranded in the dark while attempting to drive across the flooded road.
Aitken was called to an unnamed road between the B966 and A90 (between Aberdeen and Dundee) earlier the same day for an unrelated breakdown.
“I had gone to switch vans due to a breakdown at about 5 pm. I was sitting in the van waiting for a recovery vehicle when I saw vehicle headlights approaching. The lights started to flicker and then went off. Given the distance from me, I realised that the car had stalled crossing the flooded road.”
By that stage, the water was about knee-deep and rising.
I was a bit concerned as while the water was shallow, it was fast flowing and if a car had to veer off the road, it would sink.
Aitken waded through the water to assist the woman stuck in the car. “She was an elderly woman who could not walk without a walking aid. When I arrived, she was on the phone with the police trying to give her location. As soon as she saw me, the driver’s door flung open, and she asked for help.”
Aitken said they had agreed to take her to a nearby farmhouse where the police were waiting. “By this stage, my lift had arrived. I told her to grab my arm while I walked her to the vehicle that had come to collect me. I returned to the car to get her suitcase, walking sticks and laptop.”
The police had arranged for a local farmer to put the woman up for the night.
Aitken said that during a brief chat with the lady, it appeared she had made several attempts to get to the town of Banchory – about 15 miles from Aberdeen. “She had been trying since the morning to get there, which is why she ended up on one of the side roads.”
The identity of the woman remains unknown.
Pegasus Couriers Director Martin Smith praised Aitken for going above and beyond to help someone in trouble.
“Who knows what could have happened if he did not help her? We are grateful that everyone is safe and that he took it upon himself to help someone in need. As a family-owned business, we are part of the community and encourage community involvement and assistance. This selfless act is a testament to this.”
This week, Aberdeenshire Council has started its recovery procedure to support those affected and restore infrastructure damage.
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