EXCLUSIVE: A well-known Donegal bus-driver was left trapped for three hours after his quad bike toppled over on him.
Glenveagh National Park bus-driver Charlie Boyle went to feed his sheep at 7.30am on Monday morning on Kilmore Mountain, Churchill.
Charlie suspected he had broken his leg and couldn’t move the quad.
He had accidentally left his phone at home on the kitchen counter as he rushed out and had no way of raising the alarm.
Charlie was due at work at 9am and suspicions were raised when the well-known driver failed to show.
Tres Connaghan (Alcorn) immediately suspected something was wrong and contacted her own brother Trevor to check Charlie’s home.
Trevor found Charlie’s house empty but the lights were on and his car was still at the house.
Trevor contacted Charlie’s brother James and they were told the route Charlie took to feed his sheep by another local man Dan Friel.
James and Trevor managed to get half-way up Kilmore Mountain before their jeep became stuck leaving them to scour the ground on foot.
The searchers, joined by Mark Alcorn and Dan Friel, eventually found trapped Charlie who had a suspected broken leg.
The men got Charlie to safety and brought him home where he had a badly sprained ankle.
Charlie’s brother James, a well-known Donegal County Council Engineer, paid tribute to Tres and Trevor Alcorn and all who helped find his brother.
“It could have been much worse had Tres not suspected something and made that phonecall.
“Charlie was completely trapped under the quad and he would never have got out. He’s a very lucky man.
“I would say to people not to be frightened and not to be afraid to report when someone does not turn up when they say they will,” said James.
Charlie is recovering and said the sound of Trevor Alcorn’s voice after three hours being trapped under his quad was the best sound he has ever heard!
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