Pat’s feeling happy about life – particularly seeing Helen with the wonderful Rob (the perfect man in her eyes). She remembers how awful things were by contrast this time last year, when Tony was trampled by Otto the bull.
Listen to a clip of this horrifying moment - warning: potentially distressing content.
Tony Archer attacked by bull
Here’s a reminder of what happened…
November 2014:
- Helen leaves Henry with Tony for an hour because he has a cold so she doesn’t want to take him to the hairdresser's. Peggy’s using a stick to help her walk, but insists she needn’t see a doctor. Helen takes Peggy back to the farm to get her a support bandage...
- Meanwhile, Johnny’s disappointed that Tony won’t let him get the cows in with Ed. The herd’s up in Ashmead. As the cows come into the yard, Johnny takes Henry out to see them...
- Just as Peggy and Helen pull up there’s a shout and a cry of pain – Johnny’s knocked to the ground. Henry’s also on the ground, with Ed behind Otto the bull. Tony’s being trampled. Helen cries out to Henry to stay completely still.
- Ed tells Johnny to throw him a brush, with which Ed hits the bull. Ed instructs Johnny to get the gate and they steer the bull in. Tony lies on the ground as Helen takes hold of Henry. Ed calls an ambulance. Paramedics arrive and Ed gives them a blow by blow account. Tony can only just speak. Tony says he had to get Johnny and Henry out of the way. They take Tony to hospital in Birmingham in the air ambulance.
- Helen calls Pat who rushes to the hospital. Johnny feels guilty for letting go of Henry’s hand (and - he thinks - causing the accident) - he’s desperate to see Tony. At the hospital, Helen feels it was her fault for leaving Henry at the farm. Pat says they need to stay strong for Tony’s sake.
- Tony has suffered major injuries - they may have to make a decision about operating. The Doctor talks to Pat about Tony’s spinal injury. They need to do an MRI to work out whether to operate - if they do nothing Tony could be wheelchair-dependent for the rest of his life. Pat checks with Tony and says let’s operate - but it’s not without risk. He could be paralyzed from the waist down. At Tony’s side, tearful Pat tells him to keep fighting, and don’t dare leave her now…
