Mr Stastny managed to fall down the same riverside cliff twice within the space of two minutes, pass out twice, get a broken nose and re-set it himself. And his wife did not fare much better. She had to run across the countryside for almost an hour, before she was forced to break into a friend’s house – for which she was later questioned by police.
The couple, from Whorlton, near Barnard Castle, were walking along the River Tees at Brignall when Mr Stastny fell down the steep bank, breaking his nose and smashing his face. Mrs Stastny went to help her husband, who managed to climb up to the path and lie down before he passed out. Without a mobile phone, Mrs Stastny decided to run to a friend’s house – almost an hour away – to call for help.
She had just set off when Mr Stastny came round, stood up and called her name, before he lost consciousness again, tumbling back down the same sheer bank – his fall this time being broken by trees. Unable to move her unconscious husband, Mrs Stastny left him halfway down the bank while she ran to her friend’s house. The house was empty when she arrived, so she broke a window with a broom to get into the utility room. Once in, she phoned the police, fire service, ambulance and air ambulance.
Meanwhile, Mr Stastny had come round, managing to climb up the bank and walk 45 minutes to their car. From there, he drove to his motherin- law’s house in nearby Greta Bridge. At the house, he got in touch with his wife – and even managed to re-set his crooked nose. He was taken to hospital for checks and released.
The ordeal carried on into Monday when police questioned Mrs Stastny about the “break-in” and asked the home owners whether they wanted to press charges. But Mrs Stastny said her friends immediately forgave her.
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