A story appeared in today’s Sheffield Star concerning our comrade Arthur’s Scargill’s roadside rescue.
“A gang of caring heroes rushed to the aid of one of the best known faces of the 1980s after a drama on a remote Sheffield road.
Arthur Scargill, one of the most famous personalities of the 1980s, when he led the miners strike from 1984 to 1985, had battled to control his car after suffering a blowout on the way home from an event at Sheffield University.
Former NUM leader Arthur Scargill, pictured at the 40th Anniversary of the Miners’ Strike commemoration in Stainforth Doncaster, suffered a blowout as he drove through Sheffield
But after fighting to bring the car under control and getting it onto a side street, he was followed by other cars – full of young men.
The car drama happened just outside the Battlekart attraction, on Downgate Drive – a venue which features video-game style car battles.
When the young men got out of the cars, they sprung to Mr Scargill’s aid, and spent two hours helping him, with no idea they were assisting one of the biggest names in British union history.
Now Mr Scargill has contacted The Star to tell the story of the Good Samaritans who went out of their way to help him – an 87-year-old man in trouble – and his wife.
He said his car had swerved off the main road and into a side road, Downgate Drive, near Brightside.
Arthur Scargill suffered a blowout and managed to get his car onto Downgate Drive, near Brightside.
He said: “There was a terrific bang and my first thought was that we had hit something in the road – all I knew was the front wheel had gone.”
He added: “These young men witnessed the incident, and followed us in their cars down Downgate Drive to see if we needed help.
“They assisted me in ensuring that my car was parked by the side of the road, helped me get the spare wheel out, and stood by while I contacted my breakdown service.
“When my breakdown service informed me that It could only come out if my spare wheel was fully inflated, one of these young men went to the nearest garage with the spare to ensure that was done. Only when the four of them knew that my service was on its way did they take their leave.
“We are in our eighties, and so grateful. We want to thank these kind young men of Sheffield.”
He said they had refused to take anything to say thank you, and he did not know who they were or their names.
He said he could not thank them enough and added: “It is not every day that you encounter people like this and Sheffield should be proud of them. They are a credit to the city.”
During the 80s, and in the 90s, Mr Scargill was a familiar face on television news and in the newspapers as the National Union of Mineworkers, which was based in Sheffield, took on the Government over plans to close collieries.”
You can read the original story here