The CUtheroe Thursday, January 31st, 2013 No. 6770 SPECIAL 12-PAGE LIFESTYLE, HEALTH AHD LEISURE SUPPLEMEHT NW Brush with death IS


lucky to be alive after double death crash


by Eric Beardsworth


RALLY driver Justin Birchal! has spoken about his brush with death in a South America smash and his joy at coming home to his wife


. over the car as it rolled after a colli­ sion with a taxi. Then he watched helplessly as second taxi headed straight for them. He said: “The taxi skidded and I


support vehicle on a desert road in Pera, Justin was suddenly thrown all


jured servicemen and others in the Race2Recovery team, competing in four Land-Rover-based Wildcat rally, cars, in the 5,000-mile Dakar Rally through Peru, .Argentina and Chile. - ^ Justin’s car had been forced but


ken ribs and internal bleeding in the accident, returned home to his family at Middop, near Gisburn, last Friday and this week he was back at work at the family business, Birchall Food­ service at Hapton, Burnley, where he is operations director. “I’m still on painkillers and aching quite a bit,” he said. • Justin was a driver along with in­


heard his tyres blow, and I thought to myself ‘I’m not going to survive this’, but somehow it missed us at the last second.” Justin (40), who suffered four bro­


and three daughters. Asleep in the back of a Land-Rover


day to find a crowd of supporters car­ rying welcome home banners, and saw wife Louise among them. “It was a lovely surprise,” Justin


took a plane to Santiago in Chile to rejoin Ins team mates at the end of the rally. He flew into Heathrow last Thurs­


but she’d driven down on her own to pickmeup.”


ney (17) and Alicia (eight) were over­ joyed to have dad back. He said: “It was a bit emotional. When you see your family-again all sorts of things flood into your head.” Justin’s close call hasn’t put him off


Daughters Courtney (19), Sigour­ •


said. “I wasn’t expecting her to be there,


people, is being investigated, and Justin said: “My heart goes out to the families of the people who died. It’s tragic.” After four days in hospital, Justin


know how it happened. We were the last vehicle in a convoy on a straight desert road. Suddenly I was being tossed about the inside of the car. When it stopped rolling I was in a confined space but managed to turn myself round. I realised I’d got bro­ ken ribs and I had abdominal pain.” The crash, which killed two local


with a smashed gearbox on Day Four and he was in a Land-Rover Discov­ ery support car when the.terrifying accident happened. He said: “I was asleep so I don’t


M i - • M m


BACK HOME: Justin Birchall is finally back home with his daughters Alicia, Courtney, Sigourney, wife Louise and dogs Harvey and Lola.


for the Race2 Recovery team’s char­ ity Help for Heroes and its rehabili­ tation centre at Tedworth, Wiltshire. Donations can be made at www.just- giving.com/justin-birchall.


rallying. “It’s in the blood,” he said. “You loiow you’re going to put your­ self and your vehicle in harm’s way, but I’ve got some unfinished business. I need to get out there again next time and finish the Dakar Rally.” Justin is continuing his fund-raising


Suddenly I was being tossed aboutthe inside of the car. When it stopped, rolling I was.in a confined space but managed to turn myself round. I realised I'd got broken ribs and I had abdominal pain.


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