Carer's car smashed up in Wick
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A WICK woman who works as a carer has spoken of her shock at finding her car seriously damaged after an early morning collision on Easter Sunday.
Lesley Thain, of Henrietta Street, said she was woken up by her daughter's boyfriend at around 2am. He told her that an accident had just occurred outside their home.
Her Skoda Octavia was shunted around 10 metres up the road by the force of the impact and appeared to be a write-off.
"I totally depend on the car for my work," she said on Sunday afternoon while surveying the damage.
"I'm a carer working with elderly people and was supposed to be working this morning at seven o'clock.
"Obviously I couldn't do that today."
Lesley is a frontline worker employed by Pulteneytown People's Project (PPP) in its Care at Home service.
Her job has been especially important during the lockdown as it provides a lifeline to elderly people.
A PPP bulletin said: "Our Care at Home team is in the front line supporting elderly in their homes. They can't stay two metres away – they provide the professional care required to our elderly with dignity and respect as normal."
Lesley said she has been doing the job since before the pandemic and talked of there being a shortage of carers at the moment.
"You've got to be trained to be a carer but we currently have 35 volunteers helping people with shopping and suchlike."
Her partner, Gareth Hendry, pointed to the original position of the car when it was parked outside their house.
He said: "It's roughly about 10 metres it's been moved.
"Everyone has been slowing down to have a look at it. It's lying in an odd position but it can't be moved until Tuesday, we were told."
Lesley said she'll be able to "double up" with a co-worker who can help drive her about to clients.
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: "A 19-year-old man was arrested in relation to a road traffic collision on Henrietta Street, Wick, that happened around 2am on Sunday, April 12, 2020.
"A blue Ford Fiesta collided with a parked car. Nobody was injured. A report has been sent to the procurator fiscal."
