I went for a run yesterday, parked got myself organised and started my run. The 5 bar metal gate, normally secured with a chain and lock was wide open. I normally pass through via the kissing gate to one side. The first mile of my run is part of the Wayfarers Walk.
Just past the gate, two people carriers were parked to the side of the path in the wood. I ran on down the hill and saw a small van and a man to my right driving a bulldozer clearing some woodland. I ran on for the next 45 minutes and then returned to my car. JUST BY CHANCE, I decided to be nosey and try to work out what the bulldozer was up to? I wondered if someone was going to build a house there? The metal gate I noticed was now locked.
The two people carriers were still there and some adults and children as well, deep in discussion, (they had been collecting chestnuts) I quickly realised that they were locked into the wood with no route out. One of the mums said to me as I neared 'can you help us?' Her excuse was the gate was open so we thought it would be OK. Luckily for them, I could help them and did so. I was able to suggest that one of them should wander down to the bulldozer driver to find out if he had a key to the gate and explained that his van was parked down the hill and the gate was the only route out to the road for him as well.
One of the husbands did this, I waited and chatted to the wives and in about 10 minutes the bulldozer driver appeared with the key. I'll always remember two of the teenagers, one was definitely 'Kevin' and the other was definitely 'Perry!' Both were miserable as sin, I'm convinced they could only grunt or say "its not fair!"!
!
The two families were very lucky, they could have been stuck in that wood for a long time! They were so grateful to me and grovelled at my feet!