Fiona freed using oil and water after WD40 and coke failed

Fiona Crabb

A WOMAN who had to be taken to hospital after her hand was glued to her front door handle has spoken of her ordeal.

Fiona Crabb (28), of Tentercroft, returned from a friend’s house at around 10.20pm on Thursday evening and tried to open the door.

As she struggled she thought her muscles had seized up before she realised she was glued to the handle.

Fiona phoned her friend, who initially thought she was playing a joke before she contacted the emergency services.

Paramedics and firefighters arrived at around 11.30pm and tried to free her hand with coke, hot water, washing up liquid and WD40.

After all attempts failed, they cut the handle from the door and took her to the Royal Oldham Hospital.

Medics had to cut the handle in half and soak her hand in hot water and oil to release it.

Fiona said: “I left my friend’s house to go home and got up on to the landing to my door.

“I saw somebody running off but I didn’t think anything of it. It’s not what you expect to find.

“I tried the handle and thought my muscles had seized up because I couldn’t open the door. Then I realised my hand was stuck.

“I then noticed a load of white stuff all over the door. I was there for ages. The neighbours had to bring me a chair to sit on. My foot even got stuck to the floor.”

Her friend, Sercha Jackson, who lives at nearby Finchcroft, said she did not believe Fiona when she got the call.

She said: “I laughed. At first I thought it was a prank. Then I realised she wasn’t lying so I called the emergency services.”

Fiona, who has lived at her current home for a year, has been left with her hand bandaged and burns from the glue that stuck the handle to her skin.

Fiona said: “When the firfefighters got there they checked everything out. They tried everything, coke, washing up liquid, even WD40.

“Eventually they sawed the handle from the door and I was just stood there with it hanging from my hand.

“I was taken to hospital and the doctor said they needed to saw the handle in two and pour water and oil on it until it was released.

“I was there for about 45 minutes. I didn’t get home until about 4am.

“Now I have to get the council to come out and fix the handle because I’m using the handle from my front room to get in and out of the house now.”