by Emma Grove

A 60-year-old woman who fell backwards down a flight of stairs had to be rescued by firefighters after getting her head trapped under a stair lift rail.

Margaret Gurney was lying on her landing for an hour before her son Christopher came home from work and found her.

When he did, at about 1am on Sunday, he phoned for an ambulance but paramedics were unable to free her and called the fire brigade.

A crew from Sheppey went to the house in Minster and dismantled the stair lift so the paramedics could safely get her out.

She was taken to Medway Maritime Hospital and believes she's been lucky as she escaped with bruising all over - but no broken bones.

Firefighters stayed behind to put the stair lift back after she had gone to hospital.

Although she only has vague memories of her ordeal, Ms Gurney is full of praise for the emergency crews which came to her aid.

Ms Gurney has fibromyalgia and arthritis and had the lift installed about two years ago as she had a habit of falling up and down the stairs.

She said: "I remember coming to a halt underneath the railing for the stair lift with my legs tangled up the stairs", she said.

"I went down backwards and felt every step as I did.

"I can't believe I could have gone through the gap the way I did. I don't know how I managed to get my head stuck under the rail and I wouldn't recommend it."

While she was lying on the floor, Ms Gurney said she did try and free herself but didn't want to move too much as she was worried about what damage she had done.

The Sunnyside Avenue resident added: "The paramedics tried their best and didn't hurt me but they realised I was well and truly stuck.

"It was quite a quick rescue and everybody was amazed I hadn't broken a single bone.

"They were all so brilliant - the paramedics, firefighters, doctors and nurses - I couldn't fault them."

Ms Gurney's son Christopher recalled the shock of seeing his mum lying on the floor.

The 24-year-old, who is a carer for Blossoms care service in Queenborough, also echoed his mum's praise for the emergency services.

He said: "At first I thought she had just gone down a couple of steps - I didn't realise she had come from the very top."