A Scottish Big Brother star has reached out to thank the two passersby who saved his life after he fell onto a railway track just minutes before a train was due to pull in at a Glasgow station.
Mikey Hughes, who is blind, was a hit on the telly reality show sixteen years ago and has subsequently started a career in stand up comedy as well as becoming an author of books about nazi swastikas.
He was making his way to Partick on Monday morning to pick up his winnings from the new Big Brother housemates first eviction night but mistakingly took the train to Hyndland station where he ended up stepping off the platform and falling onto the track.
Mikey, 48, who had been commuting independently by public transport for thirty years and knows his way around the streets said he became confused after mishearing a tannoy on the train as a result of wearing his ear defenders.
He explained: “I was on my way to Partick to cash in a bet after the first Big Brother eviction. I’d staked fifty on Ryan to go and was due to pick up £75 so was feeling pretty good.
“The tannoy said something about approaching the station and I thought we had arrived at Partick and got off. There’s normally a wall beside the track at the station and when I put my cane in the air to touch it I couldn’t find it. I thought the wall had maybe given way and walked across the concourse and fell directly onto the tracks. It was a five foot drop and I couldn’t hear anyone screaming at me to warn me.
I didn’t even realise I was lying on the tracks at Hyndland because I was a bit dazed when I fell. Luckily two passenger's rushed over and helped me to get myself up before the next train came. It was around 7:28am and there was one due just a few minutes later. It was a miracle I was not killed and pretty horrific thinking about it now.”
Mikey continued: “An ambulance came to check me over and I’ve got a few cuts and bruises, and a sore leg but they told me my blood pressure was normal.
It was so strange, but I did not really know what had happened, so did not feel scared at the time. Everything seemed to be in slow motion and it took me a while to understand what had happened. It’s very frightening looking at it now. I would have probably sat on the track longer or even moved about the track and onto trains had the two passenger's not helped me and come to my rescue. It was one male and one female and I did not even get their names, but they deserve a medal. They very probably saved my life.”
Mikey’s ear defenders and famous beret were left on the track but rail staff managed to reunite him with the items yesterday.
Mikey, who is currently rehearsing for his next comedy gig at the Stand club on November 12, said: “I have been hobbling like a baddie in a James Bond movie but I’m keen to not let it put me off travelling on my own again and I plan to go a lot slower, and let people help me in future. It was so sweet that station staff came out with my ear defenders that fell onto the track and my white beret in a bag. I’ll make sure I keep my cane on the ground next time rather than waving it about like a Harry Potter wand and I won’t always keep my ear defenders on now. It sure was a near death experience.”
