To the rescue

Postman Fergus Shepherd, from Prestonpans Delivery Office, has been hailed the hero of the hour after he came to the rescue of an elderly customer, who had fallen.

Partially sighted 79-year-old customer, Christine Philp from Prestonpans, tripped and fell in her garden.

Mrs Philp told the East Lothian Courier: ‘I’m partially sighted so my depth perception isn’t good. I fell on the garden edging, it was very painful, but I was on the ground and I couldn’t move. I was shouting for help.

‘My husband Derek was still in bed, but he’s deaf, so there was no way I could get his attention. I was in my back garden and the front door to the house was locked.’

Mrs Philp told the newspaper how worried she had become when she heard her neighbour call out to ask what had happened.

‘Then the postie turned up and  got into my back garden to help me,’ said Mrs Philp.

‘With my neighbour, they called an ambulance, and he sat with me until the ambulance came. It was so nice.

‘My neighbour went to wake up my husband to tell him what had happened – I think he got a shock seeing someone other than me walk into the room at 8am!’

After the ambulance crew checked Mrs Philp over they were satisfied she didn’t require a trip to hospital.

‘The people in the ambulance were also so nice, and quick,’ said Mrs Philp. ‘They really made sure I was OK. The postie came around a bit later with a bunch of flowers for me to make sure I was feeling better. I’m feeling sore and a bit shaken, but I’m alright.

 ‘I really just wanted people to know how kind everyone had been, and how there are still some very wonderful people in the world.’

Prestonpans delivery office manager, Jordan Cree, said: ‘Fergus has been a postman at Royal Mail for 33 years and is a fine example to us all.

‘Every day we as a business receive reports of our people going above and beyond in the communities they serve. Fergus stepping in to help an elderly resident after a fall is yet another example of this.’