TWENTY-FIVE years ago the Cumnock Chronicle reported on the miracle escapes of a lorry driver and a fire fighter after who were invovled in a horror smash near Ochiltree.

A Lorry driver, 49-year-old Stuart Gormley from Motherwell, was trapped by the legs for an hour after his truck skidded on black ice on the Brackenhill Road.

Isobel Fraser, 40, was the district’s first female fire fighter in the area and was on her way to the scene from her Cumnock engine, when she missed her turn-off and began a three-point turn manoeuvre.

It was at this point another fire engine was also making its way to the accident when it squeezed past her engine.

It raced down the street and ploughed into Isobel as she stepped out her vehicle smacking her on head with it's wing mirror and knocking out her teeth.

It was a close call for Isobel and was said to have been ‘saved by her helmet’.

Mr Gormley’s vehicle had veered off the road, hitting a tree and stopped in a field just off the A76.

After an hour of hard work from local fire fighter’s, Mr Gormley was freed and rushed to Ayr Hospital.

A spokesman from Ayr Hospital reported that Mr Gormley was ‘extremely lucky’ after only receiving a superficial eye injury.

Speaking from her Mansfield Road home, Isobel told the Chronicle the Mauchline engine had overshot the Brackenhill turn-off and was executing a Threepoint-turn on the A76.

“I saw the Cumnock engine coming but I didn’t think there was enough space for them to pass and was expecting them to stop.

“Another second and I would of been right in front of it. My helmet saved my life.

 "I am still very sore and missing a couple of teeth,”

The Chronicle reported at the time : “The drama began at around 6:30 am last Thursday when Mr Gormley’s vehicle, owned by Sam Anderson Haulage of Newhouse, Motherwell, skidded, hit a tree and came to rest in a field against another tree.

“As well as two engines from Cumnock and one from Mauchline the road rescue unit from Ayr rushed to the scene and the Lucas heavy equipment based in Glasgow was also mobilised.

“Fire fighters battled for an hour before Mr Gormley was freed and rushed to Ayr Hospital where he was kept in overnight and received treatment for a superficial eye injury.

“Both escaped with only minor injuries.”