Acton High Students Show Bravery

After helping to save elderly lady after accident

Students from Acton High School were awarded recently for their bravery after they helped to save an elderly lady's life.

The students gave comfort and first aid to a 68-year-old who was hit by a car. The award was presented by American-born Dona Lee-Croft, the victim, on behalf of Chief Superintendent Sultan Taylor, Borough Commander for Ealing, yesterday.

Dona was hit by a Honda Civic which collided with a Toyota while backing into Gunnersbury Road on December 5 last year. She has said she remembers nothing about the crash. After presenting the awards she spoke to the students about the incident.

She said: "I heard a crash from behind, and before I could turn around to see what it was, I blacked out."

The Acton High students involved were Tanisha Artman, Leah Busette, Tashan Alleyne, all 14, Shade Hamilton, 15, and Ladan Osman, 16. They were on their way to school at 8.40am when they saw the crash happen.

Tashan, who called for the ambulance, said: "We could not just leave her lying there."

The children administered basic first aid and sheltered Dona from the pouring rain with umbrellas, while waiting for professional help. Ladan, who applied pressure to Dona's bleeding head, said: "I was in shock. I ran to the women and the others told me what to do." Shade, said "We gave her comfort, I grabbed the closest thing nearby, which was her bag. When the medics arrived they tried to move her bit by bit, put her on a stretch bed and then into the ambulance."

Once the girls had helped the lady, they all went to school and were later treated for shock.

Pat Burtenshaw, the school's Welfare assistant, said: "Ladan came in with blood all over her hands. All the girls were very quiet."

At the award ceremony Dona said: "There is no doubt these girls saved my life, I could have died that day. They are five heroes to me."

Glyn Thomas, assistant headteacher at the school in Gunnersbury Road, said: "It was as if they were her special guardians. They followed basic human instinct, which is to help someone in distress. It says so much about the girl's kind nature."

Commending the students for their actions PC Sam Spencer, said: "It was not only a kind, but a brave thing that they did."

April 18, 2008