OAP taken ill at Hyde bus stop

An ambulance was called for an elderly man from Hyde after he collapsed while waiting for a bus this morning.

He was taken ill at the bus stop by the Shepherds Call pub on Market Street at around 9:40am.

“His legs just went all of a sudden,” said one eyewitness. “Two fellas helped him back to his feet once the 330 came in and put him on the bus, but he was clinging on to them for dear life.” 

The bus driver and three workers from a passing Tameside Council bin lorry stopped to help, while passengers on the Ashton-bound 330 were moved onto the next service. 

“We were at the top of Market Street, near the Shepherds Call, when we saw the man on the ground with a few people gathered around him,” said Niall Kidd, one of the bin crew. “We jumped out, went over to pick him up and called an ambulance.”

“The poor man’s legs just seemed to have gone from under him and he couldn’t get up," his colleague Kane Dillon added. "I’m happy we were able to help get him to hospital. Hopefully he’s made a good recovery.”

The actions of the bin men have drawn praise from TMBC, with its executive member for environmental health, Cllr Denise Ward, saying: "I’d like to applaud Niall, Kane and Micky [Loftus] for what they did. It would have been so easy to drive on and leave things to others. Instead they stopped and went to help.

“Services like our bin crews are Tameside Council’s eyes and ears on the street. I’m immensely proud of what the three men did in Hyde. It was yet another example of our frontline staff going above and beyond the call of duty to make a difference to people’s lives.

“I wish the poorly gentleman a speedy recovery.”

There is no update on the man’s condition.