Sunday 30 March

This morning an Ashtead resident witnessed a man collapsing from his bicycle in Barnett Wood Lane at the junction with Agates Lane.

Realising that this was more than just a mishap the resident parked his car on the pavement and rushed to give assistance with which he was immediately helped by several other motorists. Within a minute the cyclist was separated from his bike, turned on his back, airway cleared and CPR started whilst 999 was dialled.

The first ambulance was on the scene very quickly followed less than five minutes later by a second for the paramedics to start giving their professional emergency care.

With breathing restored the Air Ambulance Kent Surrey Sussex (AAKSS), complete with its onboard Doctor,  was soon on the scene landing at the Queen Elizabeth II Recreation Ground to where the patient was moved by ambulance for transfer to St George's Hospital.

At a time when so much seems to be not as it should, the Ashtead Residents' Association thanks the emergency services including the South East Coast Ambulance Service, Surrey Police and the Air Ambulance Kent Surrey Sussex and those many passers-by who stopped and came to the assistance of the cyclist without hesitation giving him the best possible chance that care at St George's Hospital will be successful.

We extend our every best wishes that the patient makes a full recovery.

This incident shows the true value of our emergency services to all of us. The Ashtead Residents' Association is relieved to know that we now have two viable options to get emergency medical care to residents north of the railway line should any failure at the level crossing gates deny conventional access.

An ambulance can be guided across Ashtead Common from an entrance at the Wells by the City of London Estates' Office Rangers or, as decided by the South East Coast Ambulance Service operations room, the Air Ambulance Kent Surrey Sussex will be called into operation.

The search for a solution to all of the problems caused by faulty level crossing gates continues between the ARA, Mole Valley and Surrey County Councillors, Network Rail and the Emergency Services. 

The ARA has also held preliminary discussions with SECAMB and AAKSS about the widening of publicly available defibrillators throughout the Village.

To those members of the Muslim community who had their celebration of the festival of Eid-al-Fitr marking the end of Ramadam, the month of daylight fasting, at the Ashtead Football Club house interrupted by the arrival and departure of the air ambulance we wish you Eid Mubarak!"