Published: Thursday, 31st December, 2009 6:07am

Emergency call to save wife and daughter

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A COUNTY firefighter leapt into action when he was called to save his own wife and daughter who were injured in a car crash near East Linton.

However, East Linton watch manager Murray Stewart kept his cool, as daughter Emma had rung his mobile to alert him moments before the official emergency call came through.

Mr Stewart raced to the A199, near Pencraig Hill, after Emma, 22, and his wife Alison, 49, were involved in the collision at 2.30pm on Saturday December 18.

Emma was driving her Toyota Yaris when the road's icy conditions caused her to lose control of the car and it spun round, colliding with the rear of a Ford Fiesta travelling in the opposite direction.

Mr Murray told the Courier: "It was my birthday the next day and they had been on their way to Tesco to get me something so I wasn't allowed to come.

"My daughter called me from inside the car to tell me there'd been an accident, just before my pager went off, and I just jumped in the car and got right over there.

"I've been in the fire service since 1984 but this was the first time I had ever been called out to an incident involving a member of my family.

"I wouldn't want to go through anything like that again."

Mr Stewart comforted his wife and daughter as they were cut free from the car by firefighters from Haddington and East Linton on the advice of ambulance staff who were concerned that the pair may have suffered back injuries, and taken to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.

Alison was released from hospital that evening having received staples to a cut on her forehead. Emma suffered concussion was kept in overnight for observation and was discharged the next day.

Both were recovering at home in High Street, East Linton, last week and, though shaken, were feeling better following their ordeal.

"Emma was having a few memory problems but that seems to have passed and they're both doing fine now," said Murray.

The driver of the Fiesta, a 66-year-old East Linton man, escaped the crash with minor injuries.

Mr Stewart, who owns East Linton decorators James Sandie & Son, praised the efforts of emergency service workers who were at the scene.

He added: "I just want to thank the ambulance workers and the firefighters who did an excellent job.

"And I'd also like to thank one of the passers-by (believed to be a Mr Thomas) who drove past and stopped to help them - he raised the alarm, switched off the engines and kept them calm."