Shocking Accident at Rushden
Collision Between Motor ’Bus And Motor-Cycle
Terrible Injuries to Cyclist

  Last night, as the nine o’clock Raunds ’bus was leaving Rushden for Raunds, a nasty collision between the ’bus and a motor-cycle driven by Mr. Edgar Burfield, of Queen-street, Rushden, occurred near the offices of Mr. R. Marriott and Son, builders, resulting in terrible injuries to Mr. Burfield.  Mr. H. S. Leeding, son of Mr. and Mrs. S. Leeding, of Rushden, was the ’bus driver.

  It appears that it was a “head-on” collision.  Mr. Burfield, riding from the Higham direction, struck the off side of the ’bus.  The motor-cycle was forced back a yard or so, and the driver was flung beneath, the off front wheel of the ’bus catching the cyclist’s chest.  With some difficulty, the injured man was released and carried into the Queen Victoria Hotel, bleeding profusely.

  Mr. C. W. Evans, from the hotel, and Mrs. Catling, from the Royal Theatre, telephoned to try to reach doctors, but to the regret of the callers, there was no response from the Rushden telephone exchange.  Other subscribers were also trying to get the exchange, and one of these, a lady, could speak to Mrs. Catling.  On learning of the call Mrs. Catling wished to get, the other volunteered and went on a bicycle.  Meantime Mr. E. C. Catling ran to Dr. Greenfield’s surgery.

  Dr. Muriset and Dr. Greenfield arrived a few minutes later.  Mr. Burfield was laid on a table in a room at the hotel, and the doctors examined the patient and put on temporary dressings.  It appeared that Mr. Burfield was suffering from

Fracture Of The Skull,

and he had a nasty face injury.  His limbs appeared to have escaped fracture.  P. S. Lawrence, instructed by the doctors, summoned the Rushden motor-ambulance, which soon arrived, Staff-Sergt. A. Prigmore attending and acting as transport officer, conveying the patient to Northampton General Hospital.  Nursing Superintendent Miss Cave, of the Rushden Nursing Division, assisted the doctors.

  Mrs. Burfield, mother of the injured man, arrived at the hotel just before her son was taken away.  Dr. Greenfield met her and told her the result of his examination.  Mr. Burfield’s brother also got to the hotel about the same time.  The news had naturally been a great shock to both.

  The motor-cycle, both wheels being damaged so that they would not revolve, was taken into Mr. Marriott’s yard.  The machine was not such a wreck as might have been expected.

  An eye-witness, a friend of the injured man, described the accident to a Rushden Echo representative, who got on the scene a few minutes after the crash.

  “It was one of those accidents,” the eye-witness said, “where it is difficult to be certain of the exact cause, but, at the same time, I should say there was no blame attaching to anyone.  Certainly the ’bus driver was absolutely blameless.