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A woman was trapped in her vehicle on a steep embankment in Staple near Sandwich

A woman was saved by firefighters after her vehicle became trapped between two trees on a steep roadside embankment - just yards from a drop of up to 10ft.

Firefighters were called at 11.50am today to Durlock Road in Staple, between Sandwich and Canterbury.

The initial call reported that the car was stuck between two trees on a bank and was likely to roll down the hill - a drop of between eight and 10 feet.

The car hangs over a 10 foot drop
The car hangs over a 10 foot drop

Firefighters stabilised the vehicle before leading the 58-year-old woman from Wingham to safety.

There were two fire engines at the scene and crews used vehicle stabilisation blocks, chocks and braces.

The woman was saved by firefighters
The woman was saved by firefighters

The road was cleared by 12.13pm.

The woman did not want to be named but her daughter Lindsay Dowell Rawlinson wished to thank the emergency services who helped her mum.

Police and ambulance attended
Police and ambulance attended

She said: "The back end of the car "just went" and the steering wouldn't work, she just remembers the sudden bang and stop of the car. She was trapped in the ditch with her window open, she rang her son in law who quickly went to the scene and called 999.

"They couldn't actually see her as she was in the ditch so they rang her mobile and told her to keep dead still while they figured out what to do. The amazing paramedics climbed down the embankment but the car could have rolled on top of them at any time, and pulled her out. She was checked over and given the all clear."

Police tape off the area
Police tape off the area

Mrs Dowell Rawlinson thanked her husband Philip, who was first on the scene and the paramedics Simon Woodman and Paul Caldwell.

She said: "Several residents of Staple also came to the rescue and James Burt, a family friend came to help."


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