Samaritan girls came to rescue

JON MACPHERSON

ATEENAGE biker has praised two ‘Good Samaritan’ schoolgirls for their help after a motorway crash.

Alisha-Jae Yewdall, 19, was travelling back to Haslingden with her father Jason Yewdall when they were involved in a collision on the M66 near Bury.

Bike rider Jason and his passenger Alisha-Jae crashed into the back of the car before they both landed in the middle of the motorway.

Haslingden High School pupils Kaitlyn Whitehead and Caitlin Abbott, both 15, were travelling in a car behind the bike with Caitlin’s mum Lisa Hayward and stopped after the collision to offer their help and support until the emergency services arrived.

Former Haslingden High School pupil Alisha-Jae was suffering with shock and falling in and out of consciousness and was taken to North Manchester Hospital for treatment.

She launched an appeal on Facebook the next day to find the youngsters to thank them for everything they did – providing blankets, staying calm and being able to keep her safe until the paramedics came.

They have since met up and been rewarded with presents of chocolates and cards.

Alisha-Jae, who has now travelled to Australia to become a nanny, posted on Facebook: “I have been in contact with the girls and their mum and I’m so glad that they stopped and that they took time out of their lives to help!”

Caitlin’s mum Lisa said she was ‘very proud’ of the schoolgirls, who were returning from a Miranda Sings gig at the ●● Top, Alisha-Jae Yewdall and dad, Jason and, below, Kaitlyn Whitehead, left, and Caitlin Abbott, right, the two girls who came to the rescue, with Miranda Sings, centre Apollo in Manchester when the incident happened.

She said: “Caitlin rang the emergency services and spoke to them and told them everything that happened.

“She was really calm and really good. They both kept trying to cheer her up and keep her talking, which was nice. You don’t expect to see that on your way home.

“Both of the girls were really calm and got on with what we were meant to be doing.”

Alisha-Jae’s mum Sharon Yewdall, 43, from Haslingden, said both her daughter and train driver husband Jason suffered friction burns and bruises and are ‘very lucky to be alive’.

The incident happened at around 10.30pm on Wednesday, August 17.

Greater Manchester Police are appealing for information from anyone who witnessesd the incident.

Call police on 101.