A lorry driver who came to the rescue of a rider stranded on a dual carriageway with a blown tyre has been hailed a “knight in shining armour”.
Coach and stud owner Karen Raine was on her own in a 3.5t lorry with one horse on board when she had a blowout on the A585 near the M55 on 28 April. She called her breakdown provider but was told it might take an hour and a half for help to arrive.
“I wasn’t very far from home,” she told H&H. “As I turned the corner at the traffic lights, I heard the bang, got a few hundred yards from the junction and had to stop, but I was in a live lane.
“The breakdown said ‘Have you got a spare tyre?’ I was only in the little wagon, and I said I wouldn’t even know where to look for it. They said they’re normally underneath but there was no way I was getting under the wagon with everyone coming flying past me.”
Karen said the driver, of an articulated lorry, pulled up in front of her and got out.
“He asked if I was all right and if I had a spare tyre and I said I didn’t know but I wasn’t going to go under the back like that, and he got back in his wagon,” she said. “I thought he was going, but he didn’t. He went back to the lights, did a U-turn and came and blocked the lane I was kind of stranded in, then got under, found the spare and managed to get it off. So by the time the breakdown got there, he was more or less done.”
Karen said the situation had felt very precarious but once the huge lorry was behind hers, she was protected from the passing traffic.
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“They had to give me room then, because he had all his flashers on, he was a big artic with a machine on the back so they couldn’t miss him,” she said. “It was a bit scary before then; I think that’s why he stopped, because he realised what a vulnerable position I was in.”
Karen added that the driver, Stevo Monaghan, had trouble getting the spare off the lorry, so she will now make sure she gives it a spray of WD40 every now and then to prevent any such issues in future.
“I just couldn’t thank him enough,” she said. “He jumped in his truck and went, then I came home and thought I had to ring the company and thank him. I didn’t even get a chance to ask him his name but he was my knight in shining armour. They found out who he was, and apparently he got good remarks, but it was really nice.
“He held himself up, he didn’t have to do that, but he obviously knew how vulnerable I was, and it’s nice there are still nice people like that around.”
A spokesperson for LMP Commercials, Stevo’s employers, said they are proud to have him as part of the team.
“We are incredibly proud of Stevo and the calm, selfless way he responded in what was clearly a dangerous situation,” she told H&H. “His actions reflect exactly the kind of person he is – someone who looks out for others without hesitation – and the values we stand for as a business.
“Stevo was brought up on farms and around livestock from a young age, so he understands the potential dangers these situations can present and the importance of acting quickly but calmly to keep people and animals safe. His experience and level-headed approach undoubtedly helped prevent the situation from becoming even more serious.
“We are a family-run company, and that ethos runs through everything we do. Whether it’s on the road, at events, or in our day-to-day work, we believe in helping people wherever we can. The transport industry sees its fair share of challenges, and if we can play a part in keeping someone safe or getting them out of a difficult situation, we always will.
“What Stevo did wasn’t for recognition — it was simply the right thing to do. But we’re delighted to see his actions being acknowledged, and we hope it highlights the positive role that so many drivers play every day, often going above and beyond for others.”
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Eleanor is an experienced journalist who spent over eight years working for local and national newspapers before joining H&H as news editor in March 2016. Passionate about equine welfare and exposing the truth, Eleanor has reported on all aspects of the industry, from Brexit to anti-bullying campaigns, and from dressage rules to mules. Her sport of choice is showjumping, in which she competes her own horses, and she also enjoys reporting at local jumping shows through to international championships.
