Published: Saturday, 10th January, 2009 12:30pm

Lynn's miracle escape from smash

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CRASH SCENE: Paramedics spent two hours cutting the roof and back off the vehicle to free Lynn from the wreckage.
Pic by: George Munro

A MAN has told of his MS-stricken partner’s miracle escape from a horror road crash in Gourock.

Colin Dunn, 44, watched as fire crews cut partner Lynn Preston, 50, from the wreckage of her Saab after it ploughed into a tree in Shore Street at 5.30pm on Thursday evening.

He said Lynn suffered a muscle spasm in her foot, jamming the accelerator to the floor and causing the car to career out of control into a tree opposite the Victoria Bar.

Firefighters had to cut the car in half to free Lynn, but amazingly she escaped with severe bruising.

Colin, pictured with Lynn, right, before the accident, said: “With all the emergency services there it looked horrendous and Lynn was in a lot of pain.

“It was lucky, because there were eight people standing at a bus stop near to where the car halted, so it could have been a lot worse.

“Lynn often takes these spasms in her legs when she gets up in the morning, but they have never happened at night before.

“It looks like she took one of these spasms. She managed to get her foot off and on to the brake before the car hit the tree. She was waiting to get paddles fitted to the steering controls of the car so she wouldn’t need to use the pedals.”

Lynn was rushed to Inverclyde Royal Hospital by ambulance after being given morphine at the scene. Despite being detained overnight and likely until Monday, it appears she has escaped without internal injuries or broken bones.

Colin said: “It was a very frightening experience all round but thankfully it looks like only the car has suffered lasting damage.

“Her back is sore, but hopefully that is just from the impact. I’m hoping she will be home in the next day or two.

“The car is a write-off but at least Lynn is going to be alright. I would like to thank the fire crews, police and paramedics, who were fantastic. They took great care of Lynn and I.”

Colin said Lynn was unlikely to drive again. He added: “With her condition and what has happened, I think this will be the last time Lynn gets behind the wheel of a car to drive.”

Gourock fire watch commander Gerry Clarke was one of the first on the scene in what police are describing as an accident. He said: “If the tree the car hit hadn’t given way, and if she had been driving an inferior car, she would have died. The airbags on the door helped save her.”