Young woman, 20, left fighting for life after falling 40ft while VOMITING over bridge on night out
Lauren Hardman, who has no memory of the incident, believes her drink was spiked while she partied with pals in Bolton
A YOUNG woman was left with a host of serious injuries when she fell 40ft while VOMITING over a busy road bridge following a night out.
Lauren Hardman broke both her arms and suffered a fractured skull along with internal bleeding in the horror accident.
The 20-year-old, who is now making a good recovery, is unable to remember large parts of the night out in Bolton, Gtr Manchester, that ended in the plunge.
She was travelling home in a taxi and stopped so she could be sick on the bridge over St Peter’s Way in Bradford Street, Bolton.
While she was vomiting the taxi driver left the scene.
She has now begun to piece the evening together through CCTV.
She says footage shows that she took a burgundy hackney carriage to get home.
She says the footage shows the taxi driver stopping his vehicle near to the bridge.
Lauren, from Breightmet, Bolton added that she then got out of the taxi to be sick over the bridge - but she fell due to slippery conditions.
Lauren was spotted by a motorist who spent an hour by her side before she was taken to hospital.
She spent four weeks in Salford Royal Hospital following the incident at 2am on November 9.
Lauren says she has decided to come forward in a bid to find the taxi driver, so she can try to understand what happened that night.
She added that police have closed the case because they have not been able to trace the driver.
She said: “I was out with some friends in Bolton. It was a normal night but I must have been spiked because I just can’t remember anything from it.
“I know from the CCTV that I got out of the taxi and that the driver opened the door.
"It was unusual because usually I ring up for a taxi but I didn’t on that occasion.
“I just want to find out what happened because the incident has had a big impact on me.”
Her mother Crystal Mort paid tribute to the onlookers who went to her daughter's aid, as well as the doctors and paramedics who helped her.
She said: "I can't thank them enough for helping my daughter. If it wasn't for them she might not be here today.
"We have never got to the bottom of whether Lauren was spiked or not — as it was very unusual for Lauren to get into one of those cabs.
"It would be great if the taxi driver of the burgundy cab would come forward to let us know why he left her at the side of the bridge."
She added that her daughter hopes to return to work soon.
She said: "Lauren is a happy young girl with lots of good friends, loves life and is very social.
"Lauren is a nursery nurse and is very liked by parents and children and her work friends.
"She is making great progress on her recovery and is planning on going back to work soon. I think she's amazing to have come through all of this so strong, and I'm so grateful to have her here with me today."