A COUPLE who had to be cut out of their car following a horror smash have thanked everyone who helped them in the aftermath.

ORIGINAL ARTICLE:   Casualties taken to hospital after South Cumbria crash

Ian Winstanley, 65, and his 64-year-old wife Jacqui, were returning from a day out walking around Levens when they were involved in a head-on collision on their way home to Kirkby.

The couple were lifted from their vehicle on stretchers after firefighters cut away its roof, following the crash on the A5092 at Gawthwaite.

Mr Winstanley, who estimates he was driving at around 45mph, said: “The airbags went off and, we didn’t know at the time, but it would appear my wife’s head had gone in to the windscreen.

“She says she can’t remember so I can only imagine she was unconscious at that point. I can’t be sure because I was a little shook up myself.”

The crash happened at 4.30pm on Tuesday on the A5092 at Gawthwaite, along a stretch of road Mr Winstanley remembers mentioning to his wife many years ago.

A former traffic officer, he has long feared the “nasty” bend would one day see a fatal accident and considers himself fortunate to have escaped relatively unscathed. After being taken to Furness General Hospital, the couple were scanned, checked and discharged just before midnight the same day.

Mr Winstanley said: “We’re both still very bruised with a bit of whiplash, and my wife’s still quite emotional when she sees the pictures of the car or we talk to people about what happened. It must have been very frightening for her.

“We both feel extremely lucky, particularly that it was my car because we were going to take my wife‘s little car instead of my big estate, which is much more substantial. If we had, I don’t think I’d be telling this story today.”

The couple have spoken about their ordeal to thank everyone involved for caring for them in the immediate aftermath.

As well as extending their gratitude to staff from FGH, the police and the ambulance and fire services, they have spoken of the kindness of various members of the public who came to their aid.

Apologising for not knowing the names of everyone who helped, Mr Winstanley thanked Millom builders, Kristopher and David, who stopped having been following the couple in their van since Greenodd.

He also praised an Oldham doctor who was on holiday in the Lake District, a young local off-duty paramedic and a man called Jamie who sat in the back of the couple‘s car for half an hour, holding Mrs Winstanley’s neck while she was stabilised.

In a message to everyone involved, Mr Winstanley said: “We are here today because of you. Thank you very much indeed.”