FELIXSTOWE: An elderly woman has paid tribute to the Good Samaritans who came to her rescue after a serious fall in the town’s main shopping street.

Their quick response was especially important as, despite two requests, no one from a nearby doctors’ surgery came to the 78-year-old’s aid.

Pam Thwaites, of St Andrew’s Road, was keen to meet her rescuers to thank them for their quick-thinking after she collapsed and hit her head in Hamilton Road on Monday, September 6.

She said: “I want to thank all of them very much. That seems such a small word but I really appreciate what they did.

“All the hospital staff have been wonderful, and I have had so many cards I couldn’t write back to everybody, but I’m very grateful for everyone’s kind words.”

Mrs Thwaites, a Brownie leader for more than 25 years, had to stay in Ipswich Hospital’s high dependency unit for nearly three weeks after the incident.

She had a pacemaker fitted and is having ongoing treatment for a heart condition, but is feeling much stronger now.

David Garnham-Weaver and Tom Minns, both of whom work at Felixstowe Radio, were there to help her alongside Kate Bale, assistant manager at the British Red Cross shop in Hamilton Road where Mrs Thwaites – known as “Auntie Pam” – volunteered for ten years.

They saw the incident and rushed to her aid, calling 999 and carrying out CPR until paramedics arrived. They also went into nearby Central Surgery to ask for help but were told no one was available.

Kate, 28, said: “We wanted her to know that everyone from the Red Cross was thinking of her and it was a real shock for us. We’re really pleased that she’s a lot better now and back at home.”

Central Surgery carried out an investigation into the incident which they say was down to a “communication system failure” and has now changed procedures on dealing with emergencies in the vicinity of the surgery.

Practice manager Jenny Molloy said: “We would like to say again how sorry we are to Mrs Thwaites for the misunderstanding which occurred and to those who stepped in to help her.”

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