Rachel Pighills sobbing while lying on a stretcher and connected to an oxygen tank inside a warehouse at the docks in Plymouth
(Picture: Supplied)A husband has spoken of his devastation as his wife was searched for drugs by border patrol officers as she returned to the UK in an ambulance after having life-saving surgery in Spain.
Rachel Pighills, 36, was treated like an “international drug smuggler” according to her husband as her vehicle was stripped down by Border Force guards for 4 hours as she lay connected to an oxygen tank inside a warehouse at the docks in Plymouth.
Mrs Pighills, from Pershore, Worcestershire, underwent surgery she needed after a near decapitation when the back of her head was struck by a falling ceiling fan in August 2018.The mother-of-one and her husband Guy, 41, spent years trying to raise £215,000 for pioneering surgery which is not available on the NHS.
After finally raising the cash with a loan, they were told it was too dangerous for Mrs Pighills to fly to Barcelona for the operation and her husband Guy drove her 1,055 miles in the ambulance.
The 13-and-a-half-hour “brutal” operation saw Spanish surgeons insert metal rods into her spine and re-set the position of her skull.
The operation was a success and after almost four weeks in hospital, the couple drove back to the UK on June 17.
After a 20-hour ferry from Santander to Plymouth they were stopped by Border Force officials who accused them of drug smuggling.
Husband Guy, 41, told the Standard: “It really was an awful experience after everything we had already gone through. Rachel has started to pick up after the ordeal thankfully but at the time it terrified her and totally distressed her, which definitely set her recovery back.”
“It devastated me seeing Rachel in so much pain and distress.
“We totally understand they have a job to do but it was so clearly obvious we were not doing anything untoward and I was very frustrated and had to try and remain as composed as possible to prevent Rachel getting anymore panicked by the whole situation.”
Guy said: “The ordeal has wiped Rachel out, as she can’t really cope with too much at the moment. The surgery really was a brutal procedure and the recovery time is 12 months minimum.
“We still have a very long road ahead of us and we just have to take it one day at a time.”
The couple are now raising money to pay back the £130,000 loan for the surgery costs on their GoFundMe page.
Guy added: “I like to think I am only doing what any loving husband would do.
“It is helping us both knowing how much support we have behind us and has totally blown us away.”
The Home Office has been approached for comment.
