Madam,

Yesterday (9 July) my husband and I were passing through Llanidloes on our way home to Hertfordshire from an extremely enjoyable weekend in Wales. Our journey home was to have included visiting Devil’s Bridge, the Dolaucothi Gold Mine, and afternoon tea in Crickhowell. However, as we reached the bridge in Short Bridge Street we had a puncture and were obviously not going anywhere for a while. At 11.40am the RAC said they would be with us “within 75 minutes” - they weren’t. Another phone call from us and they informed us a local agent would be with us “within two hours” - they weren’t.

This is when the lovely people of Llanidloes started to rally around. We got many offers of help from people just passing by, but we kept saying “the RAC will be here soon”. How wrong could we have been!

By the time we left Llanidloes it was five and a half hours after our first phone call to the RAC - and it wasn’t them who got us back on the road.

We would like to express our sincere thanks firstly to Jess at number 16 Short Bridge Street (outside whose house we were stuck) for offering us refreshments and the use of her bathroom - very much appreciated as I am on crutches and could not even have walked to the end of the street. This impediment also precluded us from walking anywhere to get food and my husband could not leave the car in case the RAC turned up.

Then a couple, who had seen us earlier, came back on their way home, only to find us still marooned. They were Ginger and Angela (I am sorry I do not have a surname) but if anyone reading this knows them then they deserve the biggest thanks of all. Ginger went home, collected his truck and tools and proceeded with the very difficult job of getting our tyre changed. What true Samaritans these people were.

The people of Llanidloes have renewed my faith in human nature - even the young lads on bicycles going to and from playing in the river were asking if we were okay.

I do not do Facebook or Twitter but really wish I did so that the people of Llanidloes could get the recognition they deserve. My only hope of praising the community is by writing to yourselves so that those who helped, or offered help, will be recognised.

Yours etc,

Louise Eden, Northchurch, Hertfordshire.

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