‘Strong old chook’ survives ordeal in bush

PERTH: An 84yearold grandmother from Whangamata has been found alive three days after she went missing in remote bush land in Western Australia’s Great Southern region.

A New Zealand family was celebrating what they have called the bestever Christmas present after an amazing tale of survival in Western Australia’s Great Southern Region.

Their mother, grandmother and greatgrandmother, Patricia Byrne, was found late yesterday after spending almost four days alone in the bush.

She had been helping family members maintain walking tracks in the Stirling Range National Park when she went missing.

She had no food or water and temperatures were as high as 39degC.

Up to 70 emergency volunteers and police were involved in the search.

Her grandson, Blair Coatsworth, said the family was relieved. ‘‘We are just really excited. When the police officer walked over to us we thought we were getting the worst of the worst. He just hit us with the best Lotto that we could have for Christmas. That’s just the best Christmas present ever.’’

Patricia Byrne’s medical condition was still being assessed last night but police said she had been communicating with her rescuers.

Inspector Geoff Dickson, who led search and rescue efforts, said she was found after three days of searching.

‘‘Two police officers from one of our local police stations were out on an interior road that circles through the national park as part of our containment patrols and they found her stepping out of the bush.’’

He said the officers could not believe their eyes.

Dickson said Byrne was from Whangamata, and had been visiting family in the area, as she religiously had for the past 20 years.

‘‘She is a little bit jumbled at the moment in terms of her memory of it, she is 84 after all, but there’s an inner resilience there . . . She’s a strong old chook to be able to hold out for those four days.’’ — RNZ