Commuter thanks stranger who restarted his heart


Spencer Stevenson believes he would have died without Hollie Page's expert help

Spencer Stevenson nearly died on his way to work one morning in December, as he suddenly suffered a cardiac arrest after getting off his train.

"I got to the top of the stairs and felt a bit dizzy. I remember thinking I'm going to fall over. I got onto one knee and then, that was it, I don't remember anything else."

As it happened, he was in the right place at the right time. "All the stars aligned that morning. But Hollie is the reason I'm still here."

Hollie Page, a cardiac physiologist at Bart's Hospital, happened to pass him as he lay on the concourse of Liverpool Street station.

With the help of other passers-by, she performed chest compressions and used a public defibrillator to restart his heart, bringing him back.

The 54-year-old has since made a full recovery.

Stevenson told the BBC he was "so lucky to have Hollie there, who knew what she was doing, and the defibrillator on hand, that I've come out of it virtually unscathed...it's crazy."

Page said she had spotted Stevenson lying on the ground unconscious - and thought "this is something that I can actually help with".

"He had no pulse. Three other people were already helping. We all went straight into resus [resuscitation] mode. CPR is a big part of the work I do. You go into autopilot. Your training kicks in."

After four rounds of CPR and two shocks, Stevenson came round and began to talking. "We got a return of spontaneous circulation," Page said. "It was an incredible moment."

Afterwards, Page went to work and Stevenson was taken to the Royal London Hospital "awake and well enough to call my wife Karen from the ambulance".

He said words were "too small to express how massively grateful" he was to Page and the others who saved his life.

Joining Stevenson in speaking to the BBC, Page said: "It's always a strange feeling...but it does really make you feel like what you've done has been worthwhile and you really have made a difference."


Cardiac Physiologist Hollie Page hopes more people will get the skills to save lives

According to NHS England, fewer than one in 10 people who have a cardiac arrest outside hospital survive.

Defibrillators were rolled out in Tube and railway stations across London. However, there are large gaps in provision and many neighbourhoods do not have any at all.

Stevenson is now campaigning for more defibrillators to be installed in public places. "Luck was smiling on me that morning. But we shouldn't rely on luck. Every office should have at least one AED (automated external defibrillator. If you're a manager, take five minutes to ask whether your building has one, and make sure your team knows where it is. You might save someone's life."

Page also wants more people to learn resuscitation skills, either through first aid training or even at home. "There are so many resources that are online - and they are skills that will save someone's life."

In the end left half an hour late.   That had a knock on effect to the 09:46 from Westbury to Swindon which departed 11 minutes behind schedule.

Thanks to a generous layover at Swindon, the 11:05  back to Westbury left almost on time.

Indeed.  As railway line remain open all night (don't they?), perhaps there is social use in restarting one of the services from [much] further west.  I have vague memories of a Maesteg (via Bristol?) to Waterloo train, and wonder about Cardiff to Gatwick, connecting at Reading into the Paddington train.

3 year old cars have some of the highest fail rates of any age vehicle.

It certainly won’t be a massive money spinner, after all none of the existing late night/overnight/early morning services are either, but it will be a socially useful service …and that’s what the railways should be for.

Hats off to them for trialling it.

08:44 Swindon to Westbury due 09:26

08:44 Swindon to Westbury due 09:26 is being delayed at Swindon.
This is due to trespassers on the railway.

Twyford or Maidenhead pax perhaps; small fry compared to possible connections from west during the day, but if every possible passenger counts to make this service viable...

That's one thing on which I would disagree with you, Jaymac. A neglected car can become dangerous (tyres and brakes in particular) long before it's five years old. Cars now seem to last longer than they used to, so I think I'd rather see even longer leases (6 or 7 years) to save a triennial renewal payment. But keep the annual test after three years, possibly with a reduced fee for Motability vehicles.

What isn't acceptable is penalising ALL motability users (actual and potential) for the actions of a few by making an already hard scheme to qualify for even more restrictive.

06:35 Salisbury to Worcester Foregate Street due 09:47

06:35 Salisbury to Worcester Foregate Street due 09:47 will be delayed at Swindon and is expected to be 11 minutes late.
This is due to train crew being delayed.

"Denial of service" activity this evening ... I think I have dealt with it ... sorry the site was working like glue if at all for you earlier. Looking better now but time will tell.

This IP address has been reported a total of 154 times from 63 distinct sources. [deleted] was first reported on November 19th 2025, and the most recent report was 1 day ago

Bridge to remain closed as temporary fix too costly


Replacing the scaffolding to keep the bridge going for another five years would cost £600,000

A council said it is exploring options for restoring a bridge used by around 20,000 pedestrians a year, including installing a new one.

The Black Bridge over the River Wye in the Forest of Dean crosses from Lydbrook in Gloucestershire to Welsh Bicknor in Herefordshire, but has been closed since 2024.

Dozens of villagers have been calling for it to reopen, but Gloucestershire County Council said a temporary fix to install new scaffolding that would last five more years would cost an "eye-watering" £600,000 due to the complex and historic nature of the bridge. It said this was a poor use of public money, and for safety reasons, it will need to remain closed until further notice.

The current scaffolding has been in place at the bridge since 2016, but the council said it now needs replacing. However, this would not address the underlying structural issues or extend the bridge's lifespan. Due to the risk of falling debris, the scaffolding will be removed to protect river users.

The council said it is working with joint owners, Herefordshire Council, to secure funding to find a permanent solution which balances safety, heritage and value for money. Initial plans would be to keep the current bridge, but a new bridge is an option, which it said could be more sustainable while in keeping with the surrounding area.

Highways cabinet member for Gloucestershire, Joe Harris, said: "We understand the frustration of the community with the Lydbrook Bridge closure, and we're sorry for the inconvenience this causes. Safety must always come first, but we are committed to doing everything we can to secure a lasting future for Lydbrook Bridge and will continue to explore all available funding opportunities to make that happen."

The former Stowfield railway viaduct was originally built in 1875 and formed part of the Ross and Monmouth Railway. It became a footbridge after the line closed in 1959 and is now a key link on the 136-mile Wye Valley Way.

The railway station that 'burned brightly' but briefly


Singleton Station, designed by architect TH Myres, was opened in 1881 by the London, Brighton & South Coast Railway

A former railway station opened in the South Downs in 1881 was once a destination for royalty and racegoers who flocked to Goodwood Racecourse.

However, by 1935 the final passenger service had passed through Singleton Station, with freight use lingering until 1953.

Local historian Tim Weeks said the station, which has now been turned into a cycling and walking trail, was built with very esteemed company in mind. "They wanted the Goodwood traffic...[and] they wanted the Prince of Wales, Bertie, later Edward VII. That was the prize," Weeks told Secret Sussex.

Despite the questionable merits of building a train station for a village of fewer than 300 people, Weeks said its opening by the London, Brighton & South Coast Railway created plenty of excitement. "It was a hugely impressive building which would have had a massive impact on the lives of everyone in this area, because it gave the ability for people to be able to go to Chichester without having to walk," he said.

Beyond this, people could also travel to Midhurst, Portsmouth, Brighton, and London, while Edward VII used the route for his trips to the West Dean Estate.

However, a train service needs regular passengers to be sustainable and travel habits were changing. Buses had begun to lure away train passengers by the 1920 and motorcars, which "Bertie was one of the earliest adopters of", also played their part.


The trail, which is an extension of the Centurion Way, follows the old Singleton Station line

The station survived on school trains and occasional excursions until 1935, when time was called on passenger journeys. "It burned brightly, but only for a short while," Weeks added.


The station boasted four platforms, a subway, and two signal boxes

Henry Potter, who moved to the area in 1955, said his father's job was to remove the old track after trains stopped passing through the station. While the station was intact when his family arrived, years of non-use left it in "a pretty sore state" and the line itself eventually closed in the 1990s.

However, the station has now been turned into a new trail which is an extension of the Centurion Way as part of a renovation project.