Trowbridge women's rugby team 'save lives' using boot laces and shirts after crash
A women's rugby team has been praised by police for "undoubtedly" saving lives, after coming to the rescue of four people who were injured in a car crash near their training session.
The Women's Trowbridge Rugby team used their boot laces and shirts as a tourniquet to help stop the "catastrophic" bleed of an injured man's arm.
It happened at around 8.40pm on Wednesday 9 August after the car crashed on the byway heading to Whaddon Lane, near to Trowbridge Rugby Club.
The team were training in the field adjacent to the road when the collision happened. They heard the crash and climbed over a barbed wire fence and through bushes of stinging nettles to provide life-saving first aid.
They discovered the vehicle on its side and in it were four passengers who had varying severity of injuries.
Two female passengers were out of the car already and two males, the driver and front passenger still in the car.
Trowbridge Police took to social media saying: "The degree of injuries was traumatic and life threatening - but what happened next has undoubtedly saved lives.
"PC 2578 Ben Agate was first on scene where he was greeted by a mass of rugby players, 15-20 people providing lifesaving first aid. There were four casualties, one with a catastrophic bleed to his arm. The team had organised themselves to triage the casualties."
There were other players supporting the heads of the two other casualties in case of spinal injuries and providing reassurance.
Players were cutting off clothes and applying emergency bandages to the casualties, helping police officers on scene before the ambulances arrived.
The police statement continued to say: "They have also used foot mats, bits of carpet, a duvet and other items thrown from the crash or from the car to support the casualties so they weren’t laid on the cold ground. They have also put spotters on the main road and on the Whaddon Lane to direct emergency services.
"Once the ambulances arrived, the players remained, helping ambulance transit kit to the scene, holding IV lines, torches and continuing their reassurance to the casualties, of which two of the casualties were just 16 years old.
"Without their assistance this could have very easily been a fatal. It was a fantastic effort by this rugby team in assisting.
"It was humbling seeing members of public coming together in order to help out fellow citizens.
"THANK YOU"
In response, the Trowbridge Rugby Football Club released a statement saying: "The team wishes all four people a speedy recovery!
"To the women involved = the bravery and teamwork you showed was amazing.
"Not all hero's wear capes. They also wear rugby shirts."