The accident left the Steyning grandmother battered and bruised but she was saved by the bell – or, more precisely, the Community Link service.

Peggy was so impressed with the service, provided by Horsham District Council, that she wanted to make sure others knew about it.

The 81-year-old said: "I was going down the garden path and I fell on the step.

I hit my arm and my hand, then I toppled and hit my head. I thought I was going to lose conciousness."

Peggy pressed her Community Link button, which she wears round her neck, to call for help.

The button remotely activated a Lifeline box, which connected Peggy directly to an operator, who called people to come to Peggy's aid.

"Within 10 minutes, the two neighbours opposite had been alerted and came across," said Peggy.

"Within a quarter of an hour, my daughter in Chichester had been alerted and was ready to come, if necessary.

"Within 20 minutes, paramedics came with the ambulance. I think that is pretty good, to say the least."

Peggy is now well on the mend, but was forced to cancel all the talks she had planned for women's institutes and other groups.

She said: "I have never had a black eye, never mind a whole face. As you get older, you do tend to fall, and falls can be very serious."

Peggy added she wanted to make sure others knew about Community Link, in case they ever needed help like she did.

"I thought it might help someone," she said.

"Some people might not know about the service.

"It really is very good."

Community Link's aim is to allow people of any age to live independently in their own homes by offering security and home safety.

For more information on Community Link, call Horsham District Council on 01403 215230.

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