Family search for kindly woman who cradled pensioner who had a stroke in Abington Street... days after her own mum died

A daughter is trying to find a passerby who sat hugging her ill mum in a Northampton street until paramedics arrived. '‹

​Sarah Cox was shopping with her mum Janet Clowes, from Eastfield, when the 72-year-old collapsed with a stroke ​in Abington Street.

Several people stopped to offer help but one in particular made a real difference, a woman who had lost her own mum only days before.

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Mrs Cox said: “One woman saw what was happening and just sat behind mum with her legs sort of round her, kind of hugging and cradling her.

“We were both crying a bit and she told me that her mother had died two days ago but my mum would be okay.

“I just found her incredibly comforting. The people she was with had to walk away, it was obviously too emotional for them, but she just sat there with mum.

“She didn’t have to do that but she was brilliant.”

An ambulance service medic was quickly on the scene near Central Library after Mrs Clowes’ was taken ill at 11.30am on Tuesday.

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In the meantime, eight people stopped to offer assistance, including an Eastern European man who was unable to speak English but comforted Mrs Cox and her daughter.

One the ambulance arrived, the female Good Samaritan hugged her and told Mrs Cox her name, however Mrs Cox said she failed to remember it in all the emotion.

She is now eager to make contact with the woman again to say a proper thank you. “I think I’ll just cry and give her a cuddle,” she said.

Mrs Clowes was taken to Northampton General Hospital where she is slowly recovering on its stroke unit.

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Mrs Cox praised the dedication of a male Antipodean paramedic who not only gave rapid treatment, but popped in to check on Mrs Clowes three times that day in between subsequent jobs.

Mrs Cox said: “I met a series of lovely people that day. Even down to an officer at Northampton Borough Council who opened the barrier at the Grosvenor Centre car park that night especially so I could collect my car.

“It makes you realise there are so many lovely people out there.”

If you are the Good Samaritan who comforted Mrs Clowes, or know who she is, email: [email protected] or call Northampton 01604 467033.