Lyme Regis: Schoolgirl injured in collision with car in Pound Road (From Bridport and Lyme Regis News)

Lyme Regis: Schoolgirl injured in collision with car in Pound Road

10:00am Wednesday 30th May 2012 in Lyme Regis By Rene Gerryts

THE family of a 12-year-old girl injured in a collision with a car on her way to school in Lyme want to thank the people who helped – and to warn others to take care on the roads.

Woodroffe School pupil Katie McGoran was on her way to school and only minutes from her Sidmouth Road home when the collision happened in Pound Road.

Her foot was crushed and her left leg and ankle broken.

She had to undergo three operations in six days, to realign the bones and relieve pressure from the swelling.

Her parents, who have been at her bedside in Dorset County Hospital, said they wanted to thank all who helped.

And they hope what happened to Katie will make drivers and pedestrians more aware of how dangerous the roads in Lyme can be.

Mum Jacqui MacDonald said: “There was a kind lady who called 999 and stayed there.

“She hadn’t seen what happened but was very quickly on the scene.

“By some amazing coincidence Katie’s best friend’s dad Andy Cawthorne was there when we got there.

“He was kneeling supporting her foot which was a great comfort to us.

“He hadn’t seen the accident but was on his way back from recycling and saw it was Katie.”

She added: “Obviously everything has been so horrendously scary but to see a familiar face made it easier than it could have been.”

There is no suggestion that the driver was to blame.

Her mum said that Katie had gone to cross the narrow road from behind a bus as she was worried that it might reverse into her.

She said that Katie had thought she would be safer on the other side of the road, which is twisty with no pavement.

Jacqui added: “It’s every mother’s nightmare. It has been extremely traumatic. The roads around us are very scary.

“We are trying to work out a safer route for Katie to take to school.

“But where we live on the Sidmouth Road we have a treacherous exit on to the stretch without pavement in either direction.

“I just hope motorists and pedestrians’ awareness will be heightened by the accident.”

Since the accident last Tuesday morning Katie has had three operations on her left leg to repair her crushed foot, put metal plates in her ankle and mend breaks in her tibia and fibula.

Mum Jacqui said having so many operations in such a short space of time, each with a general anaesthetic, had taken its toll on Katie.

She said: “She has been amazing but the shock is huge as well as the trauma of the accident.”

“She is definitely lucky to be alive and I have to remind myself of that.”

She added: “We don’t really know what happened, obviously the police are looking into that.”

She added that 30mph was too high a speed limit for the road.

“That road has no pavement, is a narrow twisting road. I think 30mph is far too high a speed limit. Stopping distance even at 5mph takes over 20ft.”

Lucky to be alive

PC Richard Winward said it was a very nasty accident and Katie was lucky to be alive.

He said: “Early indications are that she crossed the road behind a bus, and was in collision with the vehicle.

“I am making enquiries with the bus company, as most buses are fitted with CCTV, and this should show what occurred leading up to, and when, the accident happened.

“Within seconds of the accident happening other motorists had stopped to offer comfort and assistance and I am very grateful to them.

“I would like to appeal to anyone who may have witnessed the accident to contact me as soon as possible.”

Woodroffe School head Richard Steward said the school’s thoughts were with Katie and her family.

He said: “We were all shocked to learn about the accident. Our best wishes go to Katie and hope she gets better soon.

“We encourage our students to be as careful as they can be walking to school because we know how dangerous it is to walk in Lyme as the traffic increases.”

Family friend Mr Cawthorne, who comforted Katie at the scene, said: “It was quite a shock.

“It is a difficult spot, it is one of the busy roads in Lyme and there is no pavement and unfortunately the town has quite a few like that.

“There are kids going to school along there.”

PC Winward can be contacted on 01297 442603 or via the police number 101.