Superman identified
Meet real-life Superman Paul Longmire! Step forward the heroic hunk who, clad as Clark Kent's alter-ego, came to the aid of stricken maiden Elizabeth Caulwell.
Earlier this week Elizabeth, who was temporarily poleaxed after a Boxing Day drink was spiked, appealed in the Wigan Evening Post for her mystery rescuer to come forward so she could both thank him and return his distinctive red cape in which he had wrapped her.
And today the superhero was identified as 23-year-old marketing and PR executive Paul, from Pepper Lane, Standish, and he was reunited with his 'Lois Lane'.
Elizabeth, 26, of Chorley Road, also in Standish, was enjoying the traditional post-Christmas fancy dress night in Wigan town centre with family and friends on December 26, when she suddenly crashed to the floor.
Doctors later said that the likeliest cause of this sudden collapse – she had not drunk excessive amounts of alcohol – was a date rape drug, such as GHB or Rohypnol, which must have been slipped into a drink.
She spent the night in Wigan Infirmary and eventually made a full recovery.
In the meantime, the young mum had been left semi-conscious and paralysed for hours. She had also damaged several teeth and burst her lip after landing face down at revellers' feet in a town centre bar.
It was then that Paul arrived on the scene.
He said: "I was with my friend Ian Rylance. He was dressed as a pirate and I was Superman after we borrowed the costumes from a friend at the last minute.
"We hadn't noticed Elizabeth or her group earlier, but then we saw her stumble several paces and go down face-first with a real thud.
"Obviously, we thought she'd had too much to drink at first, but we helped her to a couch and the DJ tried giving her some water.
"But it just came out again, and her friends said she hadn't drunk much at all. I then tried taking her down the stairs by supporting her with her arm round me, but her legs kept giving way.
"So eventually I just picked her up and cradled her to take her outside.
"There were a lot of people around in King Street, so we went and sat on the steps of the old town hall in Rodney Street and waited for Elizabeth's dad to come and fetch her.
"It was quite worrying really. She was really out of it, but also shivering so I wrapped my red cape around her. When her dad arrived I took the cape off her, but she started shuddering again so I told her group that she could keep it.
"My friend only came for the costume last week and I told him what happened and that if he wanted a new cape I would get him one. It's nice to get the original back.
"As far as what happened that night, I didn't do anything heroic. I was just trying to help someone in difficulty."
But Elizabeth, who has a nine-month-old son Corey and is next week due to rejoin husband Paul Davies in Abu Dhabi, where he works, is full of praise for Paul.
She said: "He is lovely! When he answered the door I could tell he recognised me straight away, but I wouldn't have known him if I'd fallen over him.
"It is nice to put a face to the man and discover his version of what he saw happen. He is really sweet and I am very grateful for his help."
Elizabeth had planned to get him a box of Heroes chocolates but the shop had run out! She gave him a card and a bottle of champagne instead.
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Weather for Wigan
Thursday 02 September 2010
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 8 C to 22 C
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Sunny spells
Temperature: 9 C to 20 C
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