Pianist may cancel dream tour after freak mishap

A PROFESSIONAL pianist who was due to peform on the maiden cruise of a flagship liner fears her career could be over after she suffered serious injuries in a collision with a runaway trolley.

Penelope Haydock, who uses the stage name Penelope Smith, had hoped to play on the first sailing of the Queen Elizabeth in October. She now believes her chance of making the trip could have ended after breaking a wrist.

Mrs Haydock, from Milngavie near Glasgow, has given recitals in concert halls around the world and worked as an accompanist for the BBC for nearly 30 years.

She was expected to perform alongside her husband, clarinetist Geoffrey Haydock, on the Queen Elizabeth's voyage between Southampton and the Canary Islands.

But the 68-year-old has been grounded after fracturing her wrist in the accident.

The couple were at a market in Bury, Lancashire, last week during a visit to Mr Haydock's home town.

But as they were walking in a pedestrian area, a heavy, 6ft tall cage trolley careered down a slope and hit her from behind.

The force of the collision knocked Mrs Haydock head-first on to the ground and she suffered a fractured wrist, grazed and bruised ankles, cracked ribs and sprained knee ligaments.

Mrs Haydock was taken to a local hospital and spent five hours receiving treatment for her injuries.

She was also treated at the Western Infirmary on her return home to Glasgow and now has her arm in a plaster cast.

Mrs Haydock said she did not know what caused the trolley to roll unchecked through the pedestrian area.

A spokesman for Bury Markets said: "We have not received any formal notification of an incident of this nature on Bury Market. However, we will look into it."

Her 67-year-old husband said: "The trolley came clattering towards us and knocked Penelope over.

"She was briefly knocked unconscious and left completely stunned and dazed.She knew her left wrist was broken straight away."

Mrs Haydock, whose 36-year-old son runs a music shop in Milngavie, has been forced to cancel upcoming concerts because it could take months for her injuries to heal.

The couple had just returned from performing on a Fred Olsen cruise to the Arctic and before that were aboard the Cunard liner the Queen Mary travelling between Hong Kong and Sydney.

But Mrs Haydock, who has previously performed with Scottish Opera, Scottish Ballet, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, is concerned that she may never be fit enough to return to performing on cruises at the high level which is required.

She said: "I am not feeling confident that I will recover fully.

"I would have liked to be able to give up playing when I was ready, not because of a freak accident that should not have happened.

"I am not happy at having to cancel everything.

"It would have been nice to perform on the maiden voyage of the Queen Elizabeth and I felt privileged to be asked.

"I've had a great career and colourful life and I want that to continue.

"If I had heard the trolley coming and turned round it could have been much worse.

"I don't know how long my injuries will take to heal. They can take a long time, because people don't realise that you need a lot of strength to play the piano at this level."

Mr Haydock added: "This could be the end of her playing career.

"It would be very difficult for her to return to the very high standard of a concert pianist after an injury like this.

"It is a devastating blow to her career."