Medieval Tower Prisoner: Academic Trapped in Historic Residence
Krisztina Ilko, a Cambridge Scholar, Freed Herself after a Seven-Hour Ordeal
An academic from the University of Cambridge, Dr. Krisztina Ilko, aged 33, found herself trapped in an unlikely place – a bathroom in the medieval tower she calls home. The tower, famously resided in by 16th-century philosopher Erasmus, proved to be a daunting fortress when the heavy wooden door to her bathroom locked unexpectedly from the inside. According to our source, a malfunction believed to be caused by a plumber who had worked on her shower earlier, is to be blamed for this mishap.
Confronting Fear and Resourcefulness
The concept of being trapped for potentially days, with the next cleaning scheduled after a long duration, triggered a wave of panic. Initial attempts to forcibly escape or to attract attention by shouting failed, creating a mounting sense of distress. However, drawing on her affection for the imaginative problem-solver character, Macgyver, from her childhood, Ilko decided to tackle this problem in a more innovative way.
Eyeliner and Cotton Bud to the Rescue
Using the unusual combination of an eyeliner and a cotton bud, Ilko contrived a makeshift tool. This tool was deployed ruthlessly in a bid to tamper with and ultimately disarm the bathroom door’s obstinate locking mechanism. Rewarding her determination and inventive mind, the device did its job, and after a nerve-racking seven-hour ordeal, the confinement ended.
Aftermath: Safety Measures and Humour
In the aftermath of this unforgettable incident, the bathroom door lock was removed to ensure the situation does not repeat. Dr. Ilko, looking back on the episode, jokes about the coincidence of getting entrapped in the same tower once inhabited by the legendary Erasmus. While at first, she humorously deliberated the possibility of becoming a legend herself, she expressed immense relief at her escape.
- Dr. Ilko, a University of Cambridge academic, was trapped for seven hours in her bathroom, located inside a historic tower.
- Heavy wooden doors and thick walls characteristic of the tower added to the challenge.
- The bathroom lock malfunctioned, likely due to a repair job by a plumber.
- A homemade tool comprised of an eyeliner and a cotton bud helped manipulate the lock, leading to her successful escape.
- Post-incident, the lock was removed to prevent any future unfortunate lock-ins.
- Dr. Ilko considers the event humorously, connecting her confinement with Erasmus, the tower’s notable previous resident.
