Injured couple say thank you

Ken Whicker, of Edenbridge, was driving home on Saturday from Bexhill when the accident happened at approximately 12.45pm on the 60mph stretch past Lunsford Cross.

The other cars involved in the collision were a Ford Mondeo and a Volkswagen.

Ken, who is 62, suffered two fractured ribs on his right side, and a fracture on the left side with a twisted ribcage.

He also had severe swelling caused by his seatbelt, bruising and injury to his face which happened when the airbag struck his glasses.

His wife Vera, 70, had a fractured sternum.

Both were treated at the Conquest Hospital and Ken was released Monday lunchtime while Vera was kept in the cardiac unit until that evening with an injury that could have proved fatal.

On Wednesday Ken, still shaky and feeling "awful", contacted the Observer so the couple could pass on their thanks.

Their accident had been attended by an appliance from Bexhill fire station, a rapid response team, three ambulances, and Sussex Police vehicles.

Ken said: "On Saturday night I didn't think I would make it.

"It happened so quick.

"I had no warning whatsoever. You are driving along and suddenly someone drops a brick wall right in front of you.

"Now we want to thank all those guys because they were absolutely brilliant - all of them from the fire service, Jeanette from the rapid response team, the ambulance crews, the staff at the Conquest who were absolutely wonderful, the Road Traffic police unit from Polegrate, with PC Stacey Ellott... we want to thank all these people.

"I can't get down to Bexhill to do it because I'm too scared to get in the car at the moment.

"But we wanted to thank all them all for what they did for us."