NEWTON Abbot mechanic Steven Maiden has been hailed the hero of the hour after shielding a customer from falling rubble after 70mph winds ripped through the workshop during last Thursday's storm. A freak gust of wind caused part of a workshop wall at Nexus Motor Trade, Exeter Road, Kingsteignton, to collapse into the reception area, where customer, Mike Stone, from Kingkerswell, was paying his repair bill. Mr Maiden, 28, of Broadland Avenue, Newton Abbot, was next door in the tea room and, without a thought for his own safety, rushed into the reception and shielded Mr Stone with his body. Nexus managing director Ian Randle, who was behind the counter, said: 'He was covering the customer from the extra rubble that was dropping. He was the hero of the hour.' Mr Randle and employee Richard Cottrell, also in the reception area, were able to pull themselves free of the debris and escaped without injury. Mr Stone, on the other side of the desk, took the full force of falling masonry and was ambulanced to Torbay Hospital with minor head and leg injuries. In fact, when Mr Maiden rushed to the customer's aid, the worst had already fallen, but he wasn't to know that. An hour-and-a-half later, still covered in dust and feeling shocked, he made little of his selfless deed. 'There was only a little bit of dust coming down really. I just covered him from it.' He admitted: 'I haven't even got my head straight. I'm now in shock.' Mr Randle said: 'Steve only just buried his Mum a couple of days ago. It's all a big shock for him obviously.' Five fire engines rushed to the scene from Newton Abbot, Torquay, Totnes and Camel's Head. Two ambulances and six police cars also attended. Now the garage faces a daunting clear-up task. Landlines were brought down, the reception area was trashed and with it computers, desks, and sterios. Mr Randle said: 'It's all gone, everything gone. I'm just shocked. I feel sick, absolutely sick. 'We're waiting for the insurance assessor to see what we can salvage.' 'But thank God no one was seriously injured.' Owner, Richard Bougourd, of Richard Bougourd Motor Engineers, Dawlish, rushed over as soon as he heard the news. 'Thankfully nobody's hurt. We'll get this sorted out as soon as we can.' Mr Randle vowed that the garage would remain open while repairs went ahead. 'We've got to stay open. I've got a family, mortgage – like everybody, really.'
