Derbyshire runner digs deep as community rallies round to rescue keys from drain
There was an unusual sight on the streets of Dronfield, as a neighbourly runner hopped into a drain to find a stranger’s lost keys – sparking a community rescue effort which caught the attention of national media, and a search for the stranger in question.
On Tuesday, February 24, mum-of-three Lizzy Holywell was 7.5 kilometres into a training run for the Sheffield Half Marathon when she passed Dronfield station and stumbled upon another runner at the roadside, lifting a drain cover.
That good Samaritan had stopped to help a woman who had accidentally dropped her keys into the drain, so Lizzy, 35, pitched in to help.
She said: “This poor lady was quite distressed. I could sense she was really worried, and she explained that her husband had died recently, and now she couldn’t get into her house or car.
“I rang my partner, because he’s a plumber with drain rods, but he was busy on the other side of Sheffield. Someone went into the hardware shop just down the road and they gave us a magnet and some string, but that didn’t pull anything up.”
She added: “The lady was saying she wanted to be lowered in head-first to fish around, I’m not sure if she was joking but I thought I needed to try something.
“It’s always been a bit of a joke that I’ve got really long toes, and I can pick things up with them, so I lowered myself in and started feeling around.
“In hindsight it maybe wasn’t very wise, there could have been anything down there. I don’t know if it was just adrenaline but you don’t think of the consequences. I just really needed to help her.”
Severn Trent Water advises members of the public not to attempt accessing its drainage systems.
Squelching around in knee-deep water and detritus up to her waist, Lizzy’s toes retrieved leaves, pens and other odds and ends – but no keys.
She said: “It had descended into a bit of scene by that point. A lot of other people had stopped to try and help. A bin man gave me his jumper to dry off my feet.
“Then an electrician, Matthew Smith, happened to be passing by and he had a really strong magnet in his van which got the job done.
“All the keys still worked, and the lady was really happy, she gave Matt a big hug, then came to give me one and I told her it was ok not to – I was literally drenched by this point and covered in all sorts.
“I didn’t finish my run but I briskly walked home for a shower. I went out yesterday to do another 10K, avoiding all the drains. It’s my first half-marathon and I’m just hoping to finish it.”
After a photo from the scene was posted to a local Facebook forum, things snowballed and Lizzy found herself being interviewed by Jeremy Vine on BBC Radio 2 and in demand from other outlets.
She said: “It’s been quite surreal but we have a really lovely, close-knit community in Dronfield and I think that’s why it has gathered momentum.
“A lot of people have people have been telling me, ‘Well, done, you’re so brave,’ but it’s just a nice feelgood story.”
One character missing though is the lady who dropped her keys, and so far no one has been able to identify her.
Lizzy said: “In all the confusion, I don’t think anyone got her name. All we know is that she was off to get her hair done. We’ve asked a few of the local hairdressers but no one knows who she is.
“She might not have social media or be be aware of everything that has followed, but it would be nice to find her and see how she’s doing.”