‘He most certainly change my life’ says women rescued from under trapped car

21 June 2024

A 76-year-old woman who was seriously injured after being accidentally run over has thanked the West Midlands Police officer who saved her life.

The woman, who has asked not to be named, and her 81-year-old sister were rescued by PC Glenn Brabham from underneath a car that had reversed over them.

Glenn has received the West Midlands Police Federation Bravery Award for his actions that day in October.

Next month, he will represent West Midlands Police at the Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW) National Police Bravery Awards.

Deserves a medal

The woman said: “He definitely deserves a medal in my opinion.

“I have never met him or even spoken to him.

“If I did, I would thank him so much for almost certainly saving mine and my sister’s life on that day.

“If the car had fallen on me again, then who knows what would’ve happened.

PC Glenn Brabham.

“I’ve been told I was underneath the car and if he hadn’t have got us out then we would have been crushed even more.

“I am so grateful to Glenn for what he did for me and my sister.”

Glenn arrived at the incident in October to find the sisters trapped underneath a vehicle and, despite not knowing if the car was stable, squeezed underneath.

“The ladies weren’t responding and at first, we didn’t even know if they were alive,” he recalled. “In fact, the first resorts we’d had were that they were both dead.

“I knew I had to get under the car as quickly but safely as possible.

“My priority was reassuring them, talking to them and letting them know they were safe,” added Glenn, who would switch between talking to the women and liaising with his colleague who was looking after the driver.

“I had to make sure the women didn’t realise how serious it was. All I could think about was my wife’s nans - who were of a similar age - and what they would want to hear.

Taken to hospital

“And at the same time, I was aware there was a car over all three of us that I couldn’t disturb.”

The sisters were eventually rescued and taken to hospital.

The woman has no recollection of the incident after being knocked unconscious.

She had been due to go on holiday with her sister to the Lake District, and when she regained consciousness days later she was confused as to why she was in the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham.

“I thought we must have gone on the holiday and been injured in a coach accident, so I couldn’t understand why I was in Birmingham,” she recalled.

“It took while for it to sink in.”

She received a catalogue of injuries, including a broken leg, crushed pelvises, broken ribs and part of her spine was broken as well.

“I’m like a Meccano set with all the titanium fixing me back together,” she said. “We can’t thank Glenn enough, and everyone else who has helped us and looked after us.”