DRAMATIC pictures show how a postie driving a van in the Scottish Highlands found herself in a terrifying “Italian Job” scenario.
The unnamed postwoman skidded on black ice and came to a stop with the vehicle balanced precariously on a harbour wall.
Luckily, quick-thinking locals in Dunbeath, Caithness, stabilised the vehicle with a rope and then helped her out.
Images of the aftermath were posted on social media by 38-year-old Ellen Bain, a carer who posted them on social media.
Ellen captioned her post: “Last Friday brought the first wintry weather to the village. Black ice everywhere created treacherous driving conditions resulting in some very close calls.
“The quick thinking and heroic action of locals, meant thankfully, there were no serious injuries.”
Speaking today, Ellen said: “The whole village was a sheet of black ice including this car park. The mail drivers stop there daily for a break when their driving hours are up.”
“This driver went to turn, then reverse a little as she often does but when she put it in reverse it kept sliding forwards into this position.”
Ellen then explained how the driver of the van managed to make her lucky escape.
“Locals stabilised the vehicle with the rope seen in the pictures and helped her out by giving her a hand to make the jump out onto the harbour edge.”
“A local fisherman was at the harbour when it happened so instantly put the rope on it. Also the diesel tank was helping it stay wedged.”
“She was extremely calm and took it all in her stride. Quite a remarkable woman. She was very grateful to those who had helped her escape and assisted in the vehicle recovery. She was even back on her run from Inverness to Caithness the very next day.”
The images show the van situated over a harbour wall with ice-cold seawater several feet below.
Other pictures show a winch attached to the rear of the vehicle which rescuers used in the operation.
Gavin Horne wrote online: “That postie must have s*** themselves.”
Barry Scollay commented: “I bet that mail driver keiched his drawers!”
Janette Hannah wrote: “We can only be so thankful that there was nobody hurt in these situations.To have seen this was really shocking and we were all so thankful it all ended okay.”
“If that truck had ended up in the harbour the outcome could have been so dreadful. So it really was not funny at all. Think about the hock that driver had and the lucky escape.”
