Sheffield family make desperate appeal to trace women who helped after 10-year-old broke leg during cycling accident

Simon Beckett, 49, and his daughter Olivia were riding their bikes through Endcliffe Park, heading in the direction of the cafe, at around 1:30pm on Monday, August 5, when disaster struck.

Noticing Olivia was cycling too fast Simon desperately shouted her, telling her to slow down, but she could not hear him.

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“She was going too fast and hit the end of the bridge, she then went over the bridge and the bike went over her,” Simon said.

“I’m a trained first aider and just knew that she’d broken her leg from the way it was bent. It looked like a graze but I didn’t tell her to keep her calm.”

Luckily for the pair, two passers-by saw the accident and rushed to help.

Simon said: “Two ladies stopped, and they both had got children with them, but they helped out. One of them was on crutches and one said she worked at the children’s hospital. Despite one being on crutches they took the bikes to the cafe and spoke to the cafe owner Ash while I carried Olivia and sat her on a chair outside the cafe.

“Ash was brilliant he really helped look after her, while I rang my wife Sarah and she rushed down. Ash actually drove his own car across the park to meet Sarah.”

After being taken to Sheffield Children’s Hospital, that night Olivia underwent an operation to reset her broken leg before being released the next day.

Thankfully she is now recovering at home but has to have a pot on her leg for around eight to 12 weeks.

Simon and his wife Sarah would like to thank the two quick-thinking women properly but despite making an appeal on social media have not yet managed to trace them.

“We actually bought the bike in April for Olivia’s birthday, she was loving it,” Simon added. “So she’s a bit grumpy and disappointed that she can’t get out and do things now while it is the school holidays.

“We’d just like to say thank you to the women as I wouldn’t have been able to move both the bikes and Olivia by myself. With all the bad stories that you hear around nowadays it’s just nice to know there are still some nice people out there. They didn’t have to help especially as one was on crutches.”

The grateful family would like to meet with the two women and give them some flowers to show their appreciation.

They are also planning on visiting the cafe to thank the owner, Ash Charlesworth and gave their thanks to the hospital staff on A&E and Ward 2 at the Sheffield Children’s Hospital.

Are you one of the women that helped Simon and Olivia? If so get in touch via [email protected]