NEWHAM MP Lyn Brown had a remarkable escape - as she was involved in a fall at the House of Commons.

Today she tells the full story of what happened, and how she is recovering.

Her story is revealed in her exclusive column in the Newham Recorder.

This is Lyn’s full story: “I can honestly say this has been a bad week, since I am writing this column from a hospital bed.

“Rushing from a Treasury meeting Tuesday night, writing a shopping list in my head, I managed to miss the top step and hurtled down a flight of stairs, breaking my fall by head-butting the wall in front of me.

I landed on my face and elbow and lay in a rather ungainly position, feebly calling for help. It arrived in the form of Declan, a paramedic, who manfully struggled to get pain relief inside me, whilst waiting for the “Calvary”, as he called them, to arrive. He was impressed that I had managed to fall in the recovery position, a skill everybody should learn. He was fabulous and exuded calm efficiency.

“I was shipped to A & E, where I tried to talk them into letting me go, but failed. I had met somebody more stubborn than me and, after many scans and X-rays, was shunted into a hospital bed. Sadly, my clumsiness has resulted in a dislocated elbow and a broken bone. I know already that the lack of mobility will be extremely aggravating.

“The machinery of Parliament continues and, inevitably, I wanted to vote on Wednesday afternoon, following surgery on my arm. I have received hundreds of emails and letters from constituents, concerned about the sale of our forests and I really wanted to vote against the Government’s plans to sell them off. I knew there was going to be a rebellion of Government MPs and I hoped there might be enough to get the Government to change their minds. I would never have forgiven myself, if my one vote had been the difference between the motion passing or failing.

“As ever, there are arcane Parliamentary procedures to which I had to adhere. In order to vote, I had to be seen by a Government Whip and an Opposition Whip, who verified I was present on the Parliamentary estate and alive. I was “nodded through”, a process by which the clerks and tellers counted my vote, without my having to walk through the Lobby.

“The scene in my hospital room was quite amusing, as I tried to find something, anything, to wear to go over the cast and the hospital gown so I looked presentable to people I might meet. My sister had visited every retail establishment on her route to the hospital in an attempt to find something suitable, but to no avail. I must have looked very strange in my hospital gown, oversized trousers, fleece and trainers.

So, at 6.30pm I left my hospital bed and made my way to a waiting taxi to drive over Westminster Bridge to Parliament. “I sat in the taxi awaiting a visit from the Whips: kindly and sympathetic Angela Watkinson and my colleague and friend Tony Cunningham. Having witnessed I was both alive and on the Parliamentary estate, they wished me well and I was driven back across Westminster Bridge to my bed, by Nick the taxi driver.

The level of care I have received is amazing; and the concern shown by friends, colleagues and constituents alike is very touching. I will be operated upon again next week and hope to be up and around again very soon. Thankfully, I am right-handed.

“As always, if you want to contact me on this or any issue, write to me at Lyn Brown MP, House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA, email me at brownl@parliament.uk or phone my office on (020) 7219 6999.”