11:30am Friday 19th March 2010
By Rachel Allen
Trowbridge schoolboy Matthew Joyce is recovering at home with a broken leg after he was run over by his grandmother’s car in a freak accident.
The eight-year-old kickboxing fanatic was at his grandfather's home in Buckleaze Close, Trowbridge, when his grandmother Sue Joyce came to pick him up. Matthew ran out to her car, which had been left running in the driveway, and got in.
The youngster then let the handbrake off, causing the car to roll backwards and then panicked, jumping out of the driver’s seat. The black peugeot then ran over his leg leaving him screaming in pain.
Grandfather Clive Perks, 69, said his former partner Mrs Joyce and Matthew were picking him up before a kickboxing class at Revolution Gym in Court Street, Trowbridge.
As Mrs Joyce, 47, went out of the house towards the car, she saw it rolling backwards with her grandson in the driver’s seat.
Mr Perks said: “Sue ran towards it but was knocked by the open driver’s door. Matthew then jumped. He must have turned the steering wheel when he jumped as the car turned. He landed on the floor then the car rolled over his leg.
“I came out with Matthew’s kit, and dropped it as soon as I saw what had happened. I ran over, saw Matthew and ran to call the ambulance. Matthew just kept telling me and his nan to stop crying, he didn’t cry throughout just shouted.”
Neighbours rushed to Matthew’s aid, wrapping him in blankets until paramedics arrived. The Wiltshire Air Ambulance landed in a nearby field before taking the boy to the Royal United Hospital in Bath.
Matthew’s mum Sarah Joyce, 29, of Millhand Villas, said: “I was in the sauna at Bradford on Avon swimming pool when Sue accidentally called me – all I could hear was Matthew screaming and people crying.”
She rang her mother-in-law back and was told what had happened before racing to the RUH to be with her son.
“I ran out to where the helicopter landed, Matthew was screaming, which was really hard to cope with,” she said. “The police officer from the helicopter came over and cuddled me and told me it was going to be okay.”
He was taken to the children’s ward where he stayed overnight before having surgery to insert titanium rods into his leg to hold the bone together. The Mead Primary School pupil returned home on Monday.
Unfazed by his ordeal, he said: “It was really fun in the helicopter, although the taking off was wobbly. I was scared at first but then when I was put in the helicopter it was okay. The paramedics were funny, they were trying to take my mind off the height I think.”
Members of the Wesley Road Club in Trowbridge, where Matthew goes with his grandfather are raising money for him. The youngster wants to donate the cash raised to Wiltshire Air Ambulance and plans to present it himself.
Mrs Joyce said: “We would like to thank all the paramedics, including the air ambulance which got Matthew to hospital so quickly. We also want to thank the neighbours who helped him.”
Matthew has to rest for four weeks but hopes to return to playing football with Trowbridge Town under-nines team, kickboxing and skittles as soon as possible.
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