Sunday 23 March 2014

A quick update on 'Snake in the Grass' post


Hi everyone....some of you might of seen Dartford Warbler's comment about my post Snake in the Grass........

She is beautiful. We have them in the garden and on the New Forest heathland here, but they are secretive creatures and we rarely see them."




I couldn't respond at the time but now I would like to add and share my response here in this post. 
Please note that I was brought up in the New Forest.
Hope you get to see this Dartford Warbler.   It's a little bit of a story I recall from my childhood days.


"My Grandad had been an AA (Automobile Association) man years ago.  Not in a sleek modern van like nowadays, he rode back in the day on a motor bike with sidecar.

He was also a First Aider - this was through the St. John's Ambulance Association...so he knew what he was doing.  

One particular day his two rolls of AA and First Aid met.  You see, he was on patrol with the AA around the New Forest when he was riding through Burley.   He came across a group of people who stopped him near the Cricket Pitch.  Apparently a man had sat down to watch the cricket and had inadvertently sat on an Adder's nest and got bitten!!!   (and NO, before some of you jump the gun and think 'did he suck the poison out' ....Not likely.)   He calmed everyone down and got an Ambulance out to take the poor man to hospital.   By keeping the man calm, he stopped the poison going through the chaps system too quickly, and fortunately the man was okay."

And to this day....I cannot drive past the Cricket Pitch at Burley without thinking of this chap sitting on an Adder's nest.



Location tab below : Burley New Forest



 







9 comments:

Joan Tavolott said...

Love the story!!!

Christine said...

It is a memorable story, good for your granddad.

Cris, Oregon Artist said...

Oh wow. so glad the chap was fine..but you can have the poison snakes. thank you. we have garden snakes but they are harmless at least. :) as a kid I would hold them but I pass now. admire but pass. :)).

robin cox walsh said...

OUCH! :-/

ann @ studiohyde said...

Thanks Joan, Christine, Cris and Robin - Glad you liked reading about this little chapter in my family history :-)

Dartford Warbler said...

I know that cricket pitch well. It is surrounded by gorse, bracken and heath s would make a great place for an adder to sunbathe! I`m glad the unwary man didn`t suffer too much, although he must have been scared.

Our "closest shave" happened a few summers ago. A visiting friend was about to step outside the back door. Thank goodness he looked down because a fine male adder was curled up, sleeping in the sun just under the doorstep!

I do know of someone who lost their dog a couple of summers ago. It was bitten during a walk at Hengistbury Head and died soon afterwards, despite a prompt visit to a vet.

ann @ studiohyde said...

I thought you would like this post. With the adders here, fortunately at the moment they are confined to the dunes, but I must admit when I'm in the garden during the Summer, there is a slight wariness when I'm gardening 'just in case'!

Somebody here lost their dog due to a bite about 4 years ago, it is so sad when that happens.

Judy said...

And now catching up on your other blog. :) That is an interesting story, Ann. Glad the man survived!

ann @ studiohyde said...

Hi Judy :-) Yes, the poor chap, I can't imagine how awful the whole experience must have been!!