Mid Sussex Times - Tuesday 20 November 1923

ANSTYE HILL ACCIDENT.-

In our paragraph last week's issue referring to a baby's remarkable escape when its perambulator was smashed by motor van driven Mr. W. Murdoch near Anstye on the previous Saturday, we omitted to state that Mrs. Divall was with her husband and baby when the accident occurred, and was badly hurt, and that the family were conveyed home in a car.

A relative of Mrs. Divall sends us the following description of the accident "Mr. and Mrs. Divall were proceeding home by way of Anstye and had reached a point about half-way up the hill, both with hands on perambulator containing baby, when they were overtaken and run down by a Ford van driven by Mr.

Murdoch. Mrs. Divall was thrown into the ditch at the side of the road and badly injured. Mr. Divall and the perambulator and baby were dragged underneath the van for a distance of fifteen paces before the driver came to a standstill.

The pram was badly smashed, and with the baby still in the wreckage pinned under the front axle, a considerable time elapsing before the child could be extricated, miraculously unhurt beyond shock. Mr. Divall was got out badly injured about the back, legs and head. Mrs. Divall, whose injuries consisted of a badly injured arm and cuts on the face and a bruised body, managed to scramble out into the road and stop a private car proceeding in the direction of Cuckfield, the occupants of which kindly allowed someone to use it to fetch the doctor from Cuckfield.

By the time the doctor arrived, however, Mr. Green, of Anstye, had turned out with his car and conveyed the injured family to their home at Pondtail, the doctor following after and giving them attention. Mr. and Mrs. Divall are still confined to the house, the woman having to keep her bed. The extent of the injuries to her right arm cannot ascertained until an x-ray examination has been made”.