Earls Colne pensioner returns home after horror collision

Earls Colne resident, dad and grandad Derek Danby, 82, was involved in a collision in the village in September, which is now under investigation by police.

His wife Gloria, 72, said: “The day it happened, I just left this world, I couldn’t take what happened to him in my head.

“I was in my own home, Derek had gone down on his scooter to pick his prescription up because he likes to get out.

“When he was coming back on the other side of the road near the Baptist church, he waited there, a bus stopped for him, he checked the other side of the road which he thought was clear too, and he doesn’t remember anything else after that.

“He was thrown ten to 20 feet, suffered a smashed up pelvis, broken back, three broken ribs and a deep cut on his head.

“They were pumping about 20 plus units of blood into him as fast as it came out.

“They took him to Colchester and then to Addenbrookes trauma unit, he stayed for a week or two before being moved to the ICU in Colchester.

“He made steady progress, but we tried not to get our hopes up too much before the good news.

After about ten weeks in hospital, retired-engineer Derek is home and on the mend.

Mrs Danby said: “He still needs carers, they come in three times per day, he can’t walk without help of the frame.

“But he has started eating properly, it obviously just still affects his mind and he may need counselling.

“Throughout the whole experience, the community texts and messages I have received, it was unbelievable, anything I needed doing they helped, it has been amazing.”

Mrs Danby went on to say how delighted she was to have Derek home at what is a special time of year.

She said: “I was ecstatic as were the children and family.

“I was dreading Christmas, I hadn’t put any trimmings up before, I just couldn’t do it if he wasn’t here.

“We have been married for 42 years and have never been apart on Christmas.

“It is the best present I could ever have got.”