Lorry driver seriously injured after falling from vehicle at port

He was then told not to move and that he would have to wait lying in a puddle for up to eight hours until an ambulance could reach him. The driver in distress was discovered by Sea Trust volunteer, Ken Barnett, who had been on the outer breakwater at Goodwick Harbour photographing bottlenose dolphins. On his return, he came across the lorry driver lying on the ground, with what appeared to be a broken leg, having fallen from the back of his lorry.

Ken contacted Sea Trust founder, Cliff Benson, who arrived with partner Fran shortly afterwards. The driver was lying on the wet ground in the rain in obvious pain. Ken had phoned for an ambulance; he was told not to move the man and that it would take four to eight hours before an ambulance would be available.

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"We had a man in considerable pain lying in a puddle in the rain facing a four hour wait at best, before he could receive any treatment," said Cliff. "If we had not found him the security man would not have found him until he did his rounds at 11pm and he may have died in the dark of exposure.  As it was it seemed to us this still could be the case." (Image: Sea Trust) Cliff, Fran and Ken, together with the port security guard, made a makeshift shelter for the man out of two metal security fences and a tarpaulin, as well as fetching a thick blanket to keep the driver warm.

Cliff then remembered that the local lifeboat crew had helped somebody in a similar situation at Christmas time. He managed to contact the new Fishguard lifeboat coxswain Gemma Gill. Gemma attended the scene, which was not far from the lifeboat station, and local firefighters, lifeboat crew and coastguards were enlisted to help.

Fishguard Coastguard Rescue Team got the call to the port at 6.25pm. They helped the fire and lifeboat crew extract the injured casualty. (Image: HM Coastguards, Fishguard) "Given how close the casualty was to the lifeboat station, the RNLI crew were first on scene and provided excellent care," said a coastguard spokesperson.

"We supported the RNLI and fire service in extracting, and carrying out, the causalty to the warmth of the lifeboat station and waited for the Welsh Ambulance Services paramedics to arrive." The ambulance arrived shortly after and took the casualty to Withybush Hospital. "This was another opportunity of working really closely and efficiently with other local agencies," said the coastguard spokesperson.