GOOD Samaritans rushed to the aid of an elderly woman when she blacked out and was left injured after her mobility scooter collided with a car.

And the County Gazette has reunited the victim with a police officer who stopped the traffic and rode her scooter back to her home while she was being treated in hospital.

Annette Shippam, aged 89, suffered abrasions on her arms and legs, bruising to her face and a black eye after she came off her scooter following the accident in Trull Road, Taunton, at 9.20am on Friday, November 27.

A scan showed she had some blood on her brain and she had to spend the weekend in Musgrove Park Hospital.

Mrs Shippam, of Wheatleigh Close, said: "I felt the hit and next thing I remember is lying in the road.

"I blacked out for a couple of minutes and was quite shaken.

"There were a lot of very kind people who gave me a back rest and blankets."

Her husband, Alfred, 91, watched the incident as he followed a couple of minutes behind.

He said: "She tried to veer away from the car, but next thing she was on the road.

"When I got there, there were three or four people around her.

"It was a dreadful shock, but there were people supporting her - somebody put a blanket on her, others were holding up the traffic.

"We're really grateful and would like to say thank you - could they please get in touch with us on 01823-286825."

When Mr Shippam joined his wife in the ambulance, they left their mobility scooters on the pavement - and he was surprised to find them in his garage when he got back from Musgrove.

PC Gary Pethick and a member of the public had ridden the vehicles the short distance up the road.

"I got flagged down by a passing member of the public saying there was a lady on the road," said PC Pethick.

"I was going to deal with a reported shoplifting, but this took priority.

"I called for an ambulance while members of the public looked after Mrs Shippam and then I sorted out the traffic.

"I then rode one of the scooters to their home, while a member of the public rode the other.

"It's the second or third time I've ridden a mobility scooter home for someone and I've also done an electric bike."

*The photo of PC Pethick and the member of the public riding the scooters appeared on our website at somersetcountygazette.co.uk last week.