Daughter supports air ambulance after father airlifted to hospital following A697 crash

The daughter of a Northumberland couple who were involved in a car crash has shaved off her hair to raise money for the charity which came to their aid.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

Allison Swan, 57, had been growing her hair for years before deciding to cut it all off to raise money for the Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS).

Only a few days before Christmas 2018, her parents Anne and Derek Fairnington required GNAAS after they were in a car crash in Milfield, near their hometown Wooler.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The crash caused their car to roll and they were left hanging upside down.

Allison Swan had her hair shaved off to raise funds for the Great North Air Ambulance which helped her parents, Derek and Anne Fairnington, after they were involved in a car crash on the A697.Allison Swan had her hair shaved off to raise funds for the Great North Air Ambulance which helped her parents, Derek and Anne Fairnington, after they were involved in a car crash on the A697.
Allison Swan had her hair shaved off to raise funds for the Great North Air Ambulance which helped her parents, Derek and Anne Fairnington, after they were involved in a car crash on the A697.

Thankfully a passer-by helped them out of the car and they phoned for an ambulance.

Anne, 77 at the time, had gashes to her head, while Derek, 86, had sustained chest injuries.

After paramedics from the North East Ambulance Service arrived on scene, they requested support from the critical care team at GNAAS.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The couple’s injuries were assessed and treated and Derek was flown to the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle, while Anne was taken to Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital in Cramlington by a NEAS road crew.

Allison Swan after her head shave.Allison Swan after her head shave.
Allison Swan after her head shave.

Allison, from Chirnside, near Berwick, said: “We attended the accident as someone recognised their car and phoned the family. So my daughter and I got there before the services left.

“The air crew were fantastic and were great with my dad who was awake and in pain. The whole time they were very reassuring, and we knew he was in good hands.

“It was so awful that they had to be separated, but my dad had chest injuries and was considered a priority.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Allison travelled to the RVI to be with her dad, while her daughter went to Cramlington.

Derek and Anne Fairnington.Derek and Anne Fairnington.
Derek and Anne Fairnington.

Derek was in the high dependency unit for a week, and then a ward for another week before returning home. Thankfully they have both fully recovered from their injuries.

To thank GNAAS for helping her parents, Allison shaved off her hair and raised £600 for the charity.

She subsequently donated her hair to be made into wigs for those going through cancer treatment.

To donate visit www.gnaas.com or call 01325 487263.

Allison Swan before her head shave.Allison Swan before her head shave.
Allison Swan before her head shave.
Read More
Read more: Northumberland takes home silver and bronze in national tourism award...

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

The dramatic events of 2020 are having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers and consequently the advertising that we receive. We are now more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news by buying a copy of our newspaper.

If you can, please do pick up a copy when you are at the shops. Thank you for your support.