A POSTMAN is being hailed a hero after coming to the rescue of an 85-year-old Broadway woman.

It was on Thursday morning when Kevin Crouch was out doing his rounds when he heard faint cries for help coming from inside a home.

He quickly summoned help and paramedics discovered Jean Holley lying on the ground with a broken hip and shoulder – it is believed she had suffered a heavy fall a couple of hours earlier.

Jean was taken to Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton where she is currently undergoing treatment.

Her sister, Jill Holley, has travelled down to Broadway from her home in Derbyshire, but has been unable to visit Jean because of a ban on visitors at Musgrove in a bid to prevent the spread of a winter vomiting virus.

But Jill said: “I think Kevin is a real hero for hearing Jean’s cries for help – he deserves some praise.

“I understand that Jean was already beginning to show signs of hypothermia so she might not still be here had Kevin not heard her.”

Sorting office manager Eleanor Lobb-Miller said: “It is wonderful. Kevin went to get a neighbour and gained access to where she was and got her some help.”

Hero Kevin, who has been a postman for nine years, is off this week on holiday.

But proud dad Dave, who is also a postman, said: “He came back at the end of his shift and told me about it – it shook him up a bit.

“I’m very proud of him – fortunately he managed to hear her. He responded very well.”