Schoolgirl and her friend’s quick thinking saved life of dad who had arm severed by horse float

COLIN Bailey was trying to attach a horse float when a freak accident tore his right arm off completely. Facing the possibility of bleeding to death his shouted for his 12-year-old daughter to help.

COLIN Bailey could have lost his life if it wasn’t for the courage and maturity of his 12-year-old daughter and her best friend.

Mr Bailey was trying to attach a horse float to his car when he accidentally reversed into a pole. The freak crash tore his right arm off completely.

His daughter Ayumi and her best friend Aja were the only ones home on the remote property near Jindabyne in the NSW Snowy Mountains, and Colin thought he would not survive.

Colin Bailey with daughter Ayumi who helped save his life after a horrific accident. Picture Gary Ramage

But with incredible bravery and calm, Aja made a makeshift tourniquet from a horse lead while Colin’s daughter Ayumi ran to a nearby hill to call an ambulance.

With poor reception, she dialled six times before getting through to help.

Colin Bailey with Aja and Ayumi. The two friends came to his aid and even made a makeshift tourniquet from a horse lead. Picture: Tim Hunter.

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Colin Bailey with daughter Ayumi. Picture Gary Ramage

Aja and Ayumi. Picture: Tim Hunter.

“Fortunately my daughter was right there and another girl and I managed to tell them ‘you’ve got to call the ambulance and stop the bleeding’, and that’s what they did,” Colin Bailey said.

Ayumi said while she was trying to call the ambulance, her hands were shaking so much she kept dialling the wrong buttons.

Colin Bailey with his daughter Ayumi and friend Aja. Pictured is the horsefloat Colin was attempting to attach to his car when the accident occurred.

“I managed to press 000 eventually but I was also thinking this isn’t a dream, I’ve got to wake up and think,” Ayumi Bailey said.

Aja added: “I heard Colin crying out for help, I went out to see what was wrong, and then I saw the blood and noticed his hand wasn’t attached to his arm anymore. I had a minute of screaming.”

The girls put Mr bailey’s arm in a plastic bag while they waited for the ambulance. Picture: Gary Ramage

With the ambulance 20 minutes away, the girls put the severed arm in a plastic bag. The arm could not be saved, but parts were used during surgery on Bailey at Canberra hospital. Paramedics said there was no doubt the two young girls had saved Colin’s life.

Today the girls will be awarded a Pride of Australia medal for their outstanding acts of heroism. They will be presented with their medals at the Sydney Opera House along with 13 others from across NSW.