Somerfield stab victim first aider: "God kept me alive to save Lucy"

Duncan Todd, fresh foods manager at Somerfield, Anchor Springs, Littlehampton, was the first to give first aid to Lucy Yates, after she was stabbed more than 20 times while shopping.

The 55-year-old, of Armada Way, Littlehampton, has undergone a laryngectomy, and now speaks by pressing a valve in his throat, but he still managed to stem Lucy's bleeding and kept speaking reassuring words to her until the ambulance arrived.

"Died" three times in two weeks

"After I was diagnosed five years ago, I died three times in two weeks," he said, "and I can only think that he (God) kept me alive to do this '” to save Lucy."

Duncan was working on September 16, the day that schizophrenic Samuel Reid-Wentworth followed Lucy, then 20, into the shop.

"I heard a noise, and I can only explain it as a shrill, it sounded like a child had been hurt," said Duncan.

"I went round, and at first I thought it was a domestic, but then I saw the knife. Then, and I don't know why, but he dropped her, and I saw the chance to get her away from him."

Stemming the blood

At this point, Lucy was dragged away from her attacker, and Duncan set about giving her the first aid she needed.

"There were two other ladies, and I got them to hold the wounds I could see in her belly, and I put my hands over the wounds in her neck."

He knew he had to keep talking to her, which was difficult, as with both hands stemming the blood, he had none spare to operate the valve.

"I spoke without using it. It is not so much painful, but stressful and awkward. I told her that I was not going to let her die."

Duncan was one of eight Somerfield staff and shoppers to be presented with a Police Public Bravery award last week, and at the ceremony he met Lucy for the first time since that day.

Touching reunion

He said: "She told me that I was the only one she remembered, because of my voice. It was very nice and very touching to hear that, and to see her.

"After the attack, her dad, her mum and her boyfriend all came into to see us, to say thanks for saving her. But I just saw someone was in trouble, and helped.

"I would do it again without thinking about it."

His daughter, Sharon, said the family had been told that Duncan's condition would not get any better. "And to be fair he has more bad days than good. The hospital told him not to go to work, but we, and our GP, agree that it is probably the only thing keeping him alive."

Bravery and courage

Store manager Chris Thorne said that Duncan had acted with bravery and courage.

"He was fantastic, and what he did that day was exemplary, given his own health. He totally deserves the award."

Lucy suffered two collapsed lungs, a punctured liver and severe spinal damage.

Reid-Wentworth pleaded guilty to attempted murder in January and was sent to Broadmoor indefinitely.

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