Horror smash driver praises hero strangers

Debbie rescued from crushed car

A DRIVER trapped inside her crushed car after a horrific crash has praised strangers who came to her aid.

Debbie Armstrong was travelling along the Holywood Road at Killarn on the hills above Dundonald, Co Down, when her Honda Civic lost control and ended up rolling down a hill.

The vehicle came to a rest upside down but its roof had caved in trapping Debbie inside.

She said she blacked out for a time and only came round when she felt blood running “upside down” on her face as she dangled, secured by her seatbelt inside the car.

The incident happened shortly before 8am as Debbie made her way to work on Wednesday when conditions were icy.

She added: “I was driving along, close to the quarry up there, and felt the back end skiff a little, but it then just spun around in a 360 and I felt myself rolling down this bank.

“The car stopped on its roof but it landed on a fence and the roof was collapsed in on top of me and must have hit me on the head. I don’t know how long I was blacked out for but I think it was only momentarily.

“But before the emergency services came, I heard this voice calling out.

“I thought it was the police but it was a fella who somehow had seen my car, though I don’t know how as I was so far down the bank.

“He actually got down on the ground, lay down beside me and reached in and held my hand and reassured me and told me the police were on their way.”

Debbie has subsequently discovered a man called Nathan Scott was among those who helped as well as a Lyndsey Esler, a junior doctor and another man.

She added: “There was no way I was getting out of that car myself if those people hadn’t helped me.”

There was no way I was getting out if those people had not helped DEBBIE ARMSTRONG

YESTERDAY

SCENE Car ended up on its roof