Charity cyclists save van- trap girl
A YOUNG woman trapped in the back of a van for four hours on a lonely road was saved by passing cyclists on a Sport Relief ride from John O’Groats to Land’s End.
Delivery driver Gemma Lloyd had climbed into the back of the van after pulling over to grab a pen.
Then she was horrified when a gust of wind slammed the back door shut, locking her in.
She had left her mobile phone out of reach on the front seat, had no food or water and could not stand up inside the van.
The aspiring model cried for help for more than four hours.
Then she saw the flashing lights of cyclists approaching.
Thinking this might be her last chance, Gemma, 27, screamed at the top of her voice.
Luckily the startled group heard her, on the Devon- Cornwall border, and unlocked the back door.
The cyclists were nearing the end of their 900- mile ride from John O’Groats to Land’s End.
Some of them posed for photos with relieved Gemma before continuing with their ride to raise £ 250,000 for Sport Relief.
Group leader Jamie McDonald, 32, of Gloucester, said: “To come across this girl going absolutely bonkers in the back of the van, in hysterics, was surreal.
“It was really petrifying for her. She’d been crying and said she’d begun to consider the possibility of never getting out, which must have been terrifying.
“There’s no telling, as this was pretty much the middle of nowhere, how long she might have otherwise been locked in the van. I’m just glad we were passing by.”
The drama happened on Tuesday as Gemma, of Worcester, was en route to see a client as part of her job for a spark plug company.
“I cried tears of joy when I saw the cyclists,” she said. “I don’t think I have ever shouted so loudly in my life. I knew it was my only chance.”
The cyclists had started at John O’Groats on February 27 and were due to finish yesterday.
Mr McDonald co- founded the SuperHero Foundation charity which encourages people to take on charity challenges.
He has run across Canada, broken a world record for a longest static bike ride and ridden from Bangkok to Gloucester. To sponsor him, visit jamiemcdonald. org.