THE GRANNY WHO TOOK A BULLET

Brave Avril didn't hesitate to shield her pregnant neighbour from gunfire and ended up getting shot in the chest

-  ROBYN LUCAS

SHE'S the resident granny in her community, adored by everyone. Ask her to make a cake and she'll reach for the eggs and flour. Need her for help, and she's there in a jiffy.

But Avril Lindeboom's selflessness reached a whole new level recently when she courageously threw herself in harm's way to save the life of a pregnant woman.

One recent Sunday, the 64-year-old grandmother of six from Bonteheuwel in Cape Town was chatting to her neighbour, Prudentia Amos (34), who's eight months pregnant.

Suddenly they found themselves in a hail of bullets. The rounds that ripped towards them came from five houses away, shot allegedly by gang members.

Without stopping to think, Avril rushed forward to shield Prudentia and her unborn baby before quickly pulling her inside her home to safety.

"The shots came our way like rain, Avril tells YOU in a shaky voice.

But once she got inside and checked that Prudentia was okay, she discovered she'd been hit. A bullet had entered her left breast.

"When I realized I was shot, I went to I sit on my chair. I didn't freak out and I didn't utter a word” the pensioner says.

Fortunately for Avril, her injury wasn't life-threatening. “The doctor said I was very lucky. He said if I'd moved a lot it would've gone through my heart but by the grace of God I survived,” she says.

Although the mom-of-three doesn't think much of her heroic deed, Prudentia couldn't be more grateful to her neighbor for saving her and her baby.

“The bullet was meant for us. Just to think it could have hit me, but it hit Aunty Avril instead” Prudentia says softly. “I'm just grateful she's alive.”'

Avril and Prudentia weren't able to see the men who were shooting at the time and Bishop Lavis police are still investigating a case of attempted murder.