An elderly man who was trapped in his car for 24 hours in freezing temperatures was saved thanks to his neighbour’s pet dog.
Great-grandfather Morris Cohen, 94, was getting out of his car in his open garage when his walking stick snapped in two, sending him him falling backwards into the footwell on the driver’s side.
His left arm became stuck under the Mercedes convertible’s clutch and brake pedals and he was unable to free himself.
Despite calling out for help, the pensioner remained trapped in the garage in Hampshire for the rest of the day and overnight, enduring sub-zero temperatures.
Hypothermia had set in, and he was close to losing his life.
But luckily, his neighbour’s dog, a Jackapoo (Jack Russell and poodle cross), wandered into his open garage the next morning.
Roger the dog began barking, prompting owner Frances Wall, who lives opposite, to investigate.
She called 999 and firemen arrived to free Morris who was rushed to hospital, where he spent 10 days recovering before being discharged.
Morris, from Ringwood, in the New Forest, said today: ‘I owe my life to that dog. That dog definitely saved me, no doubt about it.
‘The people at the hospital said if I’d been out there for another hour or so I would have died. I would have been a goner.’
Morris lives with his wife Linda who was away on holiday in Butlins with their family at the time of the freak accident.
He had just driven home from the shops and parked his Mercedes in his garage when his walking stick gave way.
Morris said: ‘I was calling for help, but no one could hear me, even though the garage door was up.
‘I was stuck in the car overnight; it was getting colder and colder. It was horrible.
‘I ended up with one of my arms wedged under the clutch and brake pedals and with my legs hanging out of the door.
‘It was impossible to get out, every time I tried to use the top of the window to pull myself up I kept falling further into the car.
‘I was really lucky because hypothermia had already set in.’
Frances Wall also praised her pet dog for his alert actions. She said: ‘I’m still surprised Roger did that, he’s always been a nervous little thing.
‘I went over to get Roger and I could just see Morris’ feet.
‘When people leave one person at home alone, young or old, it’s important to let a neighbour know. Otherwise he might not have been here now.’
Morris has already given Roger an early Christmas present of dog treats as a reward.
A spokesperson from Hampshire Fire Service said: ‘Fortunately, the door of the garage was open and the next-door neighbour’s dog, Roger, came to the rescue.
‘An on-call crew from Ringwood was alerted to the incident on December 7.
‘Trapped beneath the vehicle’s steering wheel, the man was released by firefighters who provided immediate emergency care before he was passed into the care of paramedics.’
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