Tot to rescue of stair-plunge mum

MY saviour . . . Susan with her three-year-old daughter Jessica

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A CLEVER three-year-old has been hailed a hero for coming to the rescue of her mum who had tumbled down a flight of stairs.

Susan Ashford (33) had lost all feeling from her waist down, having tripped over her daughter's comfort blanket ­- plunging down 10 steps at her Chadderton home. But little Jessica ran to her mum's aid and raised the alarm by standing on a chair to reach a mobile phone.

Mrs Ashford, of Burnley Lane, said: "I had lost all movement in my legs.

"I asked Jessica to ring grandma and somehow she knew where to go.

"Then she asked if she should let grandma in.

"She got the keys from my bag and got a little chair to help her.

"She was crying at first and saying 'mummy, mummy are you OK?'

"It was pretty amazing for a three-year-old."

The accident took place at 6am as Mrs Ashford was preparing to take Jessica to see her grandma Carol Hemmings (58) for the day.

She had taken two steps downstairs with Jessica in tow, when she stumbled on her daughter's comfort blanket.

She said: "I was coming down the stairs and I think she dropped it.

"I fell backwards and my back went into the step.

"I couldn't feel my legs as soon as I went down. It was frightening."

Having lost all feeling in her legs, Mrs Ashford hauled herself to the sofa at the bottom of the stairs using her arms.

Three paramedics arrived after Ms Hemmings called an ambulance.

She said: "I managed to drag my whole body to the sofa before the paramedics arrived.

"They gave me gas and air.

"It took nine hours for the feeling to come back.

"It has taken a long time but I am now on the mend."

Although Mrs Ashford was allowed home that afternoon, the Asda sales assistant was signed off work for two weeks with shooting pains.

The incident left her with a black eye after hitting her head on the bannister during the fall.

She said of Jessica, who has just started at Apple Tree Nursery: "She was fantastic ­- I couldn't fault her.

"I went out and spoilt her ­- she had earned a few treats.

"She is my hero."