Burnley Civic Trust Heritage Image Collection

Archive Search Page

Trapped By Runaway Car 15 Minutes

6 Jan 1967
Marsden Road, Burnley

Trapped By Runaway Car 15 Minutes

Mrs Marian Jones with her pet dog.
A familiar figure on Burnley's open market for the past 35 years was missing on Saturday. Mrs Marian Jones, was recovering from an ordeal the previous day. She was trapped for 15 minutes on the drive of her home, in Marsden Road, pinned by her Austin car, which threatened to run away down a steep incline. She was rescued by Burnley fire brigade, after a neighbour, 14 year old, High School girl Caroline Smith helped hold back the weight of the car, while her mother, Mrs Iris Smith, called the brigade.
The incident occurred on Friday afternoon, when Mrs Jones returned home. She put the car in the garage, which is on level ground at the top of a steeply sloping drive above Marsden road. She went into the house, left her shopping and was returning to bring in her pet dog. "It must have been at least 5 minutes after I had left the car. Suddenly it started to move towards me. Automatically I put my hands out to stop it, the drive is not wide enough to get out of the way. But it just knocked me flat on the drive, wedging me against the ground. I screamed for help and my neighbours answered. I must have been trapped for 15 minutes, Caroline was wonderful. She held the weight of the car with me and talked to me to comfort me. It was quite an ordeal and although I didn't need to go to the hospital, it has left me with pretty painful bruises." A nearby doctor gave Mrs Jones treatment.
Mrs Jones has sold toffee on the open market for the past 35 years. She took a day off on Saturday.

Close