KEY POINTS:
An elderly woman is in a serious condition in Masterton Hospital after suffering a stroke then a horror wasp attack as neighbours watched on helpless.
Mary Everitt, 87, lay helpless in her Masterton garden for about 30 minutes yesterday as she was repeatedly stung by wasps before firefighters wearing protective clothing could rescue her.
She is now in a high dependency unit in Masterton Hospital where a spokeswoman said her condition was being closely monitored.
Mrs Everitt had suffered a massive stroke before the wasp attack.
Neighbours Jacqui Staats and Michael Hilhorst told the Wairarapa Times-Age newspaper they were alerted to the plight of Mrs Everitt about 11am when she triggered her medical alarm bracelet.
But they were forced to wait for firefighters in protective clothing before Mrs Everitt could be rescued.
Mrs Everitt, who has had hip replacements, was gardening when she stood on a wasps' nest and fell to the ground trying to escape them, Mr Hilhorst said.
"We've helped a couple of times before, so we thought she had maybe just fallen in the garden again," he told the newspaper.
"But as we came closer you could see the swarm.
"Then we saw Mary lying behind a tree covered in wasps."
An ambulance was called and the neighbours were able to get within earshot only of Mrs Everitt as she "buried her face in the bark and pulled her shirt up over her head," Mr Hilhorst said.
"We felt absolutely helpless, just helpless."
He said when an ambulance arrived its crew could not get near her either.
Masterton Fire Service station officer Garry Nielsen, said two firefighters wearing flash hoods, protective clothing, and breathing apparatus covered the nest and performed a "snap rescue" of Mrs Everitt, shifting her away from where she lay.
- NZPA
