12th October 2011

LYME REGIS: Disabled woman drowns in harbour

20 year old dies after tragic wheelchair accident

By Francesca Evans

A 20-year-old disabled woman died after falling into Lyme Regis harbour whilst strapped into her electric wheelchair.

Clair Perkins, who was terminally ill and severely disabled, was visiting from Solihull in the West Midlands. She was on the Cobb on Friday afternoon with her parents when her wheelchair suddenly plunged into the 10 feet deep water, on the harbour-side of Victoria Pier.   

It is thought there was a fault with the wheelchair, which is normally controlled by her parents.

First on the scene was local fisherman Harry May, 65, who was just mooring his “Marie F” boat nearby. Along with another man, who is believed to have been a coastguard, and later a paramedic, Mr May dived underwater in several attempts to rescue the woman before Lyme Regis lifeboat crew arrived, but only managed to retrieve a piece of material and the back of the wheelchair due to its weight. 

Mr May said he had hold of the wheelchair at one point but it slipped away as he struggled to the surface. He said he had difficulties because the water was so cold and murky, meaning he couldn’t see the woman or chair.

Lyme’s main beach was cleared for Devon Air Ambulance to land whilst a team of six lifeboatmen made attempts to rescue Miss Perkins but had problems as she was strapped into the heavy wheelchair. She was eventually lifted to the surface unconcious by eight men over 30 minutes after falling in, but a pulse was still found.

Miss Perkins was airlifted to Dorchester Hospital but was later pronounced dead.

Lifeboat Operations Manager and harbourmaster, Graeme Forshaw, praised all those involved in the rescue. He said everyone who took part should “stand proud”.

The Mayor of Lyme Regis, Councillor Sally Holman, also praised those who took part in the rescue, saying they “worked together in a co-ordinated and professional way”.

She added: “The townspeople, including the families of those personally involved in the response teams, join with us in expressing sympathy at this very sad time.”

Fisherman recalls 'tragic' incident at the Cobb

A HUGE rescue attempt was made by emergency services and a local boatman when a disabled woman fell off the Cobb wall in Lyme Regis while strapped into her electric wheelchair.

Clair Perkins, 20, who had a rare terminal illness, was visiting from Solihull in the West Midlands when she fell into the harbour-side of Victoria Pier on the Cobb on Friday afternoon. Fisherman Harry May, 65, was just mooring his boat at the end of the Cobb when he heard a splash and jumped in after her. 

Speaking to the View From Lyme Regis, he recalled his initial reaction and how the “tragic” incident unfolded: “I didn’t jump in straight away because I thought the instant cold would drain away my energy. I stripped off, climbed down a ladder and went in as quick as I could. I tried going down two or three times but I could feel the cold zapping away my energy. It was about 10 feet deep and I couldn’t see a thing, the water was so murky.

“I grabbed hold of some material and started pulling. I could tell by the weight that I had her but as I struggled to the surface just a coat or a blanket came up.”

By this time PCSO Luke White had arrived on the scene. Mr May told him to jump on his boat and get an extended boat hook.

“I reached down and tried to grab something but it was no good.”

Mr May said another man who he later believed to be a coastguard also jumped in.

He added: “He seemed really up for it and he looked like he could do it. He went down with the rope and hooked it on to the chair. By this time there was quite a crowd on the Cobb. We started pulling and the back of the chair came up.”

Lyme Regis lifeboat crew arrived on the scene at 1pm. Mr May said they kept going down but he thought they struggled in their waterproof suits which help them float. 

“They were trying so hard,” he added. “Elliott Herbert was particularly putting in a real big effort.”

Other crew members involved were Martin Croad, Brian Street, Dave Street, John Cable and Rob Crabbe, and a paramedic also dived under the water.

Mr May said he believed Miss Perkins was in the water for about 40 minutes before the emergency services managed to pull her out. “Amazingly, they found a pulse,” he added.

While the rescue was being carried out the beach was cleared for the Devon Air Ambulance and the woman was taken to Dorchester Hospital where she later died.

Lifeboat operations manager and harbourmaster Graeme Forshaw praised everyone involved in the rescue. He said: “It was a tremendous team effort following what appears to have been an awful accident. Everyone who worked to rescue this lady should stand proud. They were professional, quick to respond and calm. Everyone did everything they possibly could to help this unfortunate lady.”

Mr May continued: “They haven’t really got any idea how it happened. Her parents controlled the chair but they had some kind of modification made and I think something went wrong with that. I’m not sure though.

“When I saw the wheelchair afterwards on the Cobb and I tried to lift it up, it felt like it was fixed to the Cobb. It was so heavy that it eventually took eight men to get it over the rim of the Cobb.

“At the time I didn’t feel like I did very much. I felt a bit helpless. I was swimming in her bubbles, she was still breathing but I couldn’t get to her. There was a certain relief when I tried lifting the chair afterwards as I knew that I wouldn’t have been able to get her up myself. It wasn’t a regular wheelchair and she was really strapped in. If it was an elderly person just sat in a normal chair it might have been a different story.

“Many, many others would have done what I did. I just thought I have to do this. Her mother just kept screaming. I had to. I’ve never had to do anything like that before. It was a once in a lifetime tragedy.”

Mr May said he now thought people would be calling for more safety measures on the Cobb, including railings, which he described as “completely unnecessary”, as the incident was so rare.

Mayor sends out sympathy to those involved in Cobb accident

LYME Regis Town Council has issued a statement of sympathy and condolences to the family and friends of Clair Perkins and to all those involved in the rescue attempt.

The Mayor of Lyme Regis, Councillor Sally Holman, speaking on behalf of the whole community, said: “Many thousands of people visit the Cobb every year and nothing like this has happened within living memory.

“The lifeboat crew, coastguards, local boatmen, police, harbour staff, paramedics and members of the public all worked together in a co-ordinated and professional way to do everything possible to save the young lady but unfortunately were unable to do so.

“The townspeople, including the families of those personally involved in the response teams,  join with us in expressing sympathy at this very sad time”.

• The flag at the Harbourmaster’s Office on The Cobb was flying at half mast this week.

PICTURE: BRAVE BOATMAN - Fisherman Harry May, 65, at his home which overlooks the Cobb where the fatal incident took place

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