ONE of the women's rugby coaches at Trowbridge Rugby Club has told how her team helped to save the life of a driver with a serious arm injury who could have bled to death after crashing his car.
The 23-strong women’s squad were training on the pitches at Trowbridge Rugby Club at Hilperton and leapt into action after hearing the crash.
A small Mazda car carrying four people had flipped onto its side in a narrow country byway next to the training ground at around 8.40pm on Wednesday, August 9.
Assistant coach Emma Santer, 31, said: "We had about five minutes left of training when we heard a big crash and a bang and saw the trees shaking.
"One of the team, Becca, said 'I think it's a crash' and we all ran the length of about one and a half pitches to reach the fence.
"We could hear people crying and music from a radio and around half of the girls jumped over the barbed wire fence, while I crawled through the shrubs and nettles."
Mrs Santer, a sister at the Royal United Hospital in Bath, said the squad formed into teams of three to help each of the four casualties.
They were the male driver, who was in his 30s and had a deep cut to his right arm, a young male front seat passenger, and two 16-year-old girls in the rear.
"Everyone was in shock and there was a lot of blood. His right arm was pretty bad.
"It was a catastrophic injury and if we had not been there he probably would have bled out.
"We got him to lie down on a blanket that we found in the car and we made a tourniquet with boot laces, one of our bibs and a stick and tightened it up to help stop the bleeding.
"He was lucky we were there. We were in the right place at the right time. There was a lot of blood and panic.
"I am really proud of the team. They didn't question my instructions and everyone went to help."
Trowbridge Police praised the team's "fantastic effort" and said PC Ben Agate, who was first on scene, was greeted by a mass of rugby players, with 15 to 20 people providing life-saving first aid.
They added: “The degree of injuries was traumatic and life-threatening but what happened next has undoubtedly saved lives.
“Without their assistance this could have very easily been a fatal. It was a fantastic effort by this rugby team in assisting."
As the incident developed, the players cut up their bibs and applied emergency bandages before ambulance paramedics arrived.
They supported the heads of two casualties in case of spinal injuries and provided reassurance to those in shock.
Several ambulances and the Wiltshire Air Ambulance were tasked to attend the accident between Whaddon Lane and the A361 Devizes Road.
Police said: “They also used foot mats, bits of carpet, a duvet and other items thrown from the crashed car to support the casualties so they weren’t led on the cold ground.
“They also put spotters on the main road and on the Whaddon Lane to direct emergency services."
Once the ambulances arrived, the players helped to transit kit to the scene, holding IV lines, torches and continued to reassure the causalities.
Trowbridge RFC Women’s Rugby said: “We were just glad we were there to help so quickly. We wish them a speedy recovery.”
The driver was taken to the RUH for treatment. The three passengers suffered reportedly minor injuries.
Police added: “Our investigation is ongoing, and no arrests have currently been made.”
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