‘I had to spend £100 to be taken to safety, but police said it was free’
A SKINT single mum who broke down on the Mersey Gateway Bridge claims she was forced to cough up £100 to get towed to safety – despite being told it was free.
Catherine Scott, 38, from Kirkby got a flat tyre when she was driving across the new Mersey Gateway Bridge with her two young children on Friday, October 20.
She claims a police officer spotted her, pulled over on a kerb and offered to arrange a tow to get her off the bridge, promising it would be free.
However, when she reached a compound in Widnes, Catherine claims her car was locked up and she was forced to fork out £100 from her rent money to get it out.
She said the ordeal left her ‘terrified’ that she would be ‘stranded’ in Widnes with her children and no way of getting home.
Catherine said: “I was on Runcorn Bridge coming towards Liverpool and my tyre went flat so I pulled over. There’s no hard shoulder so I pulled over to a curb and a police car came past.
“When the guy came out he said, ‘you can’t stay here, but we can get you towed because it’s free’. I said I was with the RAC but they said, ‘it’s free, let’s get you somewhere safe’.”
Catherine, who was stuck on the bridge with her 21-month-old and two-yearold children, claims she waited 20 minutes for a tow truck to come before being taken to Hough Green Garage in Widnes.
She claims her ex-partner, who was with her at the time, asked staff at the compound to help him change the flat tyre so they could drive home.
Catherine said: “We sat in the office and I saw the car going around the back of the building but the next thing, ● the fella came out and asked us for £150! I said, ‘you what?! The police officer said it’s free, I’ve got RAC cover’.”
She added: “When a police officer tells you something is free you believe them.”
Catherine then called police to come to the compound, as she become incredibly distressed about getting home with her children Dominik, two, and Maggi-Jo, 21 months.
She claims the Cheshire Police officer who spoke to her at the compound said there had been a mistake in telling her the tow would be free, but there was nothing they could do to correct the error.
Catherine said: “They were prepared to leave me in a compound in Widnes, my daughter’s nappy had fallen off – she was running around in just a dress. It was really upsetting.
“To get the money back we have to make a complaint to police. We handed them £100 in cash but that was money for rent. I’m on benefits.
“[This month] is going to be a bit of a struggle with my benefits. It’s terrifying.”
Catherine claims it was a Cheshire police officer who first responded to her when she was stranded on the bridge. However, it is unclear who actually found her while she was broken down and allegedly offered her a free tow. A company called Tarmac is responsible for patrolling the Mersey Gateway Bridge, and normally responds to breakdowns, calling in Hough Green Garage to assist with tows.
Cheshire Police confirmed they received a call from a compound in Widnes on Friday night. A spokesperson from the force said: “They’ve phoned us up and there’s been a dispute at the garage and they’ve explained the situation about an officer telling them it’s free and [Cheshire police] have said it’s not free, and if they want to make a complaint then you can do so.”
They added: “There has obviously been a ● disagreement between the driver and the garage which has caused them to ring us and say an officer said it was free. We have said it’s not, and then advised that if the driver wishes to make a complaint they can go through the procedures – but they would be liable for the removal fee.”
Hough Green Garage was contacted for comment but referred our sister paper the Liverpool Echo to Tarmac which patrols the bridge and call them out for tows or removals.