A POSTIE was the hero of the hour after a partially sighted 79-year-old woman tripped and fell in her garden.

Christine Philp from Prestonpans has praised local postman Fergus Shepherd when he came to her aid after she was immobilised after the fall.

She told the Courier: “I’m partially sighted so my depth perception isn’t good.

“I fell on the garden edging, it was very painful, but I was on the ground and I couldn’t move. I was shouting for help.

“My husband Derek was still in bed, but he’s deaf, so there was no way I could get his attention, and I was in my back garden, which is surrounded by a six-foot fence with a door leading into it, and the front door to the house was locked.

“I was really worried when I heard my neighbour call out to me asking what had happened.

“Then the postie turned up and I don’t know how he did it but he was able to scale the fence to get into my back garden to help me.

“He ran through and opened the front door for my neighbour, they called an ambulance, and he sat with me until the ambulance came. It was so nice.

“My neighbour went to wake up my husband to tell him what had happened – I think he got a shock seeing someone other than me walk into the room at 8am!”

Mrs Philp was checked by paramedics and they were satisfied she would not require a trip to hospital.

“The people in the ambulance were also so nice, and quick,” Mrs Philp said.

“They really made sure I was OK. The postie came around a bit later with a bunch of flowers for me to make sure I was feeling better. I’m feeling sore and a bit shaken, but I am alright.

“We’ve decided to get the garden done up so it’s a bit safer out there for me. My grandsons are coming to do it.

“I really just wanted people to know how kind everyone had been, and how there are still some very wonderful people in the world.”

A spokesperson for Royal Mail said: “Every day we receive reports of our people going above and beyond in the communities they serve. Fergus stepping in to help an elderly resident after a fall is yet another example of this. We are proud of the work our people do in the community, which often goes far beyond delivering mail and parcels.”