A woman who broke her ankle when she slipped on rocks near Oban has paid tribute to her rescuers and the local community for their care and compassion.
Francine Galloway was out walking with her husband Paul and two sons on October 17 after arriving in the town for a five-day getaway.
Disaster struck as the Polmont woman slipped on the coastal path near Dunstaffnage, with paramedics and the local mountain rescue team called to help her.
Mrs Galloway said: “I have never broken anything in my life or been in hospital except for when I had my children.
“Then, on the second day of our holiday in Oban, I slipped on a rock and broke my ankle.
“When I lifted my leg up it was actually hanging to the side as if it wasn’t attached. Paul was standing there and he is a first aider and he just said ‘yeah it is broken’.”
One of Mrs Galloway’s children ran to the nearby car park with a dog walker to guide in paramedics.
Due to the tricky terrain and need for extraction, medics decided assistance would be required from the local Coastguard team.
Mrs Galloway was transferred from the beach into an ambulance before being admitted to the Lorn and Islands Hospital.
She stayed in the Oban facility for one night before being transferred to Forth Valley Hospital nearer her home.
The family cut short their five-day trip on just the second day, but have said they are thankful to all involved in providing care to Mrs Galloway.
She added: “I have got lots of metal now in my ankle after breaking my tibia and fibula with plates on both sides to stabilise it. The operation took four hours in total but I am just so thankful to everyone involved.
“It was my husband’s birthday that day as well and the receptionist in the hospital came out and gave him a little cake which I thought was just amazing. People were just so lovely to us.”
In a gesture of great kindness, their landlady at the Benvoulin Villa has offered the family the chance to return and complete their holiday free of charge after learning of the accident.
“In a way, it is an experience I am quite thankful for,” Mrs Galloway added.
“Accident aside, the generosity and kindness from everybody was amazing.
“The coastguard, police and ambulance crew were all fantastic. We were taken on to Oban hospital, where I have never been before, and the hospital staff couldn’t have been any better.
“Two nurses were looking after me – I wish I could remember their names – but they were so kind.
“So many positives have come from this situation.”
Mrs Galloway is currently recovering at home and has said the family hope to return to Oban next year to finish off their trip.
She concluded: “The community in Oban are really amazing.
“They are so supportive, kind and caring. We will definitely return to complete our holiday and to say a proper big thank you to everyone.”