Death of Good Samaritan takes toll to 15
THE number of weather victims across the UK has risen to 15 following the tragic death of a Good Samaritan who helped dig out a fellow motorist’s car from the snow.
Farm worker Richard Fiddy, 74, suffered a suspected heart attack after using a shovel from his boot to help a driver stuck in deep snow in a country lane.
Mr Fiddy, of Mattishall, Norfolk, collapsed in the snow following his exertions in minus 4C temperatures on Thursday afternoon.
The motorist he helped – as well as Cameron Russell, 20, and his partner Kiera O’Donoghue, 23, who had been helping stranded motorists all day – tried to revive him until an ambulance arrived at the scene in Bergh Apton, near Norwich.
Paramedics then took over the resuscitation attempts in an attempt to save Mr Fiddy’s life.
But he was declared dead on arrival at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital.
Mr Russell said: ‘Richard had been helping this other guy by digging snow out from his wheels. He was walking back to his car and I turned round to see that he had collapsed.
‘We all carried out CPR for 40 minutes until the ambulance came, but it was no good. I think he died straight away.’
Mr Fiddy’s stepdaughter, Esther Bryan, said: ‘He was strong and it was in his nature to help people. If anyone was in a muddle, he would always go to help.
‘It is typical of him to have come to the aid of someone in difficulty. He was a proper Norfolk countryman and enjoyed lots of outdoor pursuits.’