Ex-Yeovil mayor John Cruddas (pictured above) has been discharged from hospital after an accident at his home. Mr Cruddas, a current member of Yeovil Town Council and South Somerset District Council, credited his granddaughter with the fact that he is still alive.
The accident happened in the afternoon of Thursday October 10th at his Ilchester Road home. Mr Cruddas was preparing chemicals for swimming pool maintenance when something went wrong.
Fortunately, his granddaughter Shelley Guy (a 15-year-old Griffin School, Sherborne, pupil) was in the house at the time to raise the alarm. The fire brigade got a call at 4.21pm and rushed to the scene. Mr Cruddas was taken to hospital, where he remained until last Saturday (October 19th).
When talking to The Clarion on Tuesday this week, he said: "I feel a lot better than a week ago. I wouldn't like to go through that again."
Previously in the day, Mr Cruddas went to collect his grand-daughter, who was feeling unwell, at school. This probably saved the life of the ex-mayor as he was coughing badly and doesn't have a full memory of the incident later that day. But Shelley was in the house and raised the alarm.
"It is a case of taking things easy for while," Mr Cruddas concluded.
l John Cruddas has served three terms as Mayor of Yeovil, 1977-79, 1989-91 and 1999-2001.