THE 74 year-old stroke victim cut from an ambulance after it crashed into a ditch is back at his care home in Great Totham safe and sound.

Grandfather Peter Langley first suffered a stroke four years ago and has been living at Totham Lodge care home since, unable to speak and needing constant care.

On Friday, January 27, the retired stockbroker suffered a second stroke and was rushed into an ambulance headed for Broomfield Hospital.

While travelling through Main Road, Danbury, an accident occurred between the ambulance and a post office van, sending the ambulance careering into a six-foot ditch.

Paramedics feared he might not survive.

But his eldest daughter, Lizi Langley, said: "Dad is fine now, although he is a very sick man and is unable to communicate and we are not sure how aware he is but it's nothing to do with the accident.

"On the Friday, Totham Lodge called me to say that dad had had another stroke and that he was being taken to hospital.

"I was at work in Benfleet, so drove back to Great Totham to pick my partner up and then drove to Broomfield.

"When I got there, dad wasn't there. I was told that he was in an ambulance that had been on route for an hour and 14 minutes."

About 20 minutes later an ambulance arrived at Broomfield and Mr Langley was taken to A&E.

Ms Langley, 42, said: "He was very unresponsive and obviously totally unaware of anything.

"To be honest I think it was best that it happened to dad because he is not fully aware and is a very sick man.

"There was not a bruise on him. It shows what a good job the paramedics had done, as they all received cuts and bruises but he was fine."

After waiting for a couple of hours while Mr Langley was being scanned and receiving treatment, Ms Langley and her sister, Mandy Haley, were approached by a member of the ambulance service who informed them that their father's ambulance had been in an accident.

Ms Langley, who is a mother of one, said: "We were told that they didn't expect dad to live but that it was nothing to do with the accident, that he'd had a massive stroke and there was a big bleed in his brain.

"I don't think they could have dealt with it any better and were very caring.

"We didn't realise the extent of the accident the ambulance had been in until we got home and saw the news , but I am not sure if we could have coped with that information at the time.

"I couldn't fault the behaviour of the ambulance crew, fire service or police that day.

"I think they did a great job and we don't blame anyone for the accident."

On Saturday Ms Langley said that she didn't think her dad was going to make it but on the Sunday he was sitting up in bed reading the paper.

Ms Langley, who is also a care home manager, said: "He is now back in the care of Totham Lodge who look after him so well.

"My sister, brother and I are so grateful for the care they provide for him and he really does consider it as home now.

"Dad is a great character and very well-known in the area.

"He always used to be down the pub and loved to socialise."