0:00:02 > 0:00:06Rural Britain has some of the most challenging environments in the world.
0:00:06 > 0:00:10In Scotland the mountains, lochs and coastline encourage tourists
0:00:10 > 0:00:12and locals to get out into the wilds.
0:00:12 > 0:00:15But with that comes danger.
0:00:19 > 0:00:22Steady. He's on the life raft.
0:00:22 > 0:00:25The emergency services north of the border
0:00:25 > 0:00:28have to deal with extreme challenges every day.
0:00:28 > 0:00:29Nobody in their right mind
0:00:29 > 0:00:32should have attempted to drive through this.
0:00:34 > 0:00:37From severe weather and treacherous terrain...
0:00:37 > 0:00:39Hello!
0:00:39 > 0:00:42..to covering huge distances on rural roads
0:00:42 > 0:00:43with time against them...
0:00:43 > 0:00:46The GP's upgraded the call to an emergency.
0:00:46 > 0:00:48..they work around the clock
0:00:48 > 0:00:52battling against some of the most difficult situations imaginable.
0:00:53 > 0:00:56We'll be right at the heart of the action.
0:00:56 > 0:00:59Side by side with air rescue saving lives,
0:00:59 > 0:01:03on the road with paramedics caring for the hurt and injured
0:01:03 > 0:01:05and following the police fighting crime,
0:01:05 > 0:01:08as the emergency services work together
0:01:08 > 0:01:10to pick up, patch up and protect the public
0:01:10 > 0:01:12in rural communities.
0:01:14 > 0:01:16This is Countryside 999.
0:01:34 > 0:01:40Coming up, paramedics attend a major accident on the M74 motorway.
0:01:40 > 0:01:42There's a car upside down.
0:01:42 > 0:01:44Royal Navy Search and Rescue
0:01:44 > 0:01:47speed to save the crew of a sinking fishing boat.
0:01:53 > 0:01:55And a routine police speed check
0:01:55 > 0:01:58leads to a much more suspicious scenario.
0:01:58 > 0:01:59My gut instinct is that, er,
0:01:59 > 0:02:01they may be in the country illegally.
0:02:08 > 0:02:12There are a quarter of a million miles of public roads in Britain,
0:02:12 > 0:02:15over 34,000 miles of which are in Scotland.
0:02:17 > 0:02:21A network of roads linking remote rural communities.
0:02:22 > 0:02:25But frequent bad weather and isolated roads
0:02:25 > 0:02:29far from hospitals and emergency services
0:02:29 > 0:02:33make Scotland's highways and byways some of the deadliest in Britain.
0:02:38 > 0:02:41The emergency services in Dumfries and Galloway in south-west Scotland
0:02:41 > 0:02:43are kept particularly busy.
0:02:44 > 0:02:47Per head of population, they have one of the highest rates
0:02:47 > 0:02:49of serious road accidents in Britain.
0:02:55 > 0:03:00On call today are paramedics Derek Rankine and Susan Craig,
0:03:00 > 0:03:01who have just taken a call to attend
0:03:01 > 0:03:04a road traffic collision or RTC on the M74,
0:03:04 > 0:03:08the major arterial road linking England and Scotland.
0:03:10 > 0:03:12Yeah, it's an emergency call
0:03:12 > 0:03:15to a road traffic accident on the motorway.
0:03:15 > 0:03:17The only information we were given,
0:03:17 > 0:03:23there's one casualty that may have back and neck injuries.
0:03:23 > 0:03:27Derek has 16 years experience under his belt.
0:03:27 > 0:03:31Susan is still a relative rookie, with one year on the job.
0:03:33 > 0:03:36In order to get to the accident on the motorway,
0:03:36 > 0:03:37Susan will have to blue light
0:03:37 > 0:03:40through 20 miles of busy country roads.
0:03:40 > 0:03:44If it's an emergency like this, we may be travelling at speeds
0:03:44 > 0:03:48in excess of the speed limit on these A-roads.
0:03:48 > 0:03:51So you do have to watch for water, there's a lot of standing water.
0:03:51 > 0:03:53If you hit that at any speed,
0:03:53 > 0:03:56obviously that can be pretty dangerous.
0:03:59 > 0:04:03Ambulance crews are specially trained to drive at speed.
0:04:03 > 0:04:05Today the weather is causing havoc.
0:04:09 > 0:04:11Unbelievably, they hit another accident
0:04:11 > 0:04:13which is causing a long tailback.
0:04:13 > 0:04:15- There's blue lights there now. - Yeah, I can go.
0:04:15 > 0:04:17HORN BEEPS
0:04:17 > 0:04:19Aye, leave your sirens on.
0:04:22 > 0:04:24So we've hit traffic here as well
0:04:24 > 0:04:29so whether it's a flooding or another accident,
0:04:29 > 0:04:31it's causing a roadblock.
0:04:31 > 0:04:32A lorry, I think.
0:04:32 > 0:04:35POLICEMAN: They might have the cable out of the tanker,
0:04:35 > 0:04:38but you'll be able to get through if he hasn't.
0:04:38 > 0:04:41Is nobody injured? We're heading to the M74 or something, aye.
0:04:41 > 0:04:44With the police in control, and no-one hurt,
0:04:44 > 0:04:47the paramedics are given priority and waved through,
0:04:47 > 0:04:49ahead of all the other drivers.
0:04:50 > 0:04:55A lorry's obviously had an accident, so we may not get through.
0:04:55 > 0:04:56I don't...
0:04:59 > 0:05:01Aye, should be all right. Just don't run his feet over.
0:05:03 > 0:05:05OK. You're fine, aye.
0:05:05 > 0:05:06Now they must hit the gas
0:05:06 > 0:05:09to reach the potentially serious spine and neck injury ahead.
0:05:12 > 0:05:17Slowed us down a little bit, but nobody injured, thank goodness.
0:05:22 > 0:05:24It's 21 minutes since receiving the emergency call
0:05:24 > 0:05:26and at last, they hit the motorway.
0:05:29 > 0:05:32Well, Susan's doing about 85 miles per hour just now.
0:05:32 > 0:05:33The visibility's not as good
0:05:33 > 0:05:36because you get a lot of spray on the motorway as well.
0:05:42 > 0:05:48The accident really could be from any point here for the next,
0:05:48 > 0:05:51I don't know, 12, 15 miles north.
0:05:51 > 0:05:54Could be any point between here and there,
0:05:54 > 0:05:57so what we'll probably notice is the police blue lights
0:05:57 > 0:05:59will be flashing in the distance.
0:05:59 > 0:06:0127 minutes after leaving base,
0:06:01 > 0:06:04they get to the scene of the accident.
0:06:05 > 0:06:08There's a car upside down.
0:06:08 > 0:06:10First impressions don't look good.
0:06:23 > 0:06:27One fifth of the British population live in the countryside.
0:06:27 > 0:06:32And all of us cross the country on a vast network of rural roads.
0:06:32 > 0:06:35With 34 million vehicles on our highways,
0:06:35 > 0:06:37a major role for the traffic police
0:06:37 > 0:06:39is to reduce chances of serious accidents happening,
0:06:39 > 0:06:42many of which are due to people driving too fast.
0:06:46 > 0:06:48The A74 is the main big route
0:06:48 > 0:06:51from England to Scotland into Europe,
0:06:51 > 0:06:54which is right in our backyard.
0:06:54 > 0:06:58So the amount of people that are up and down that road,
0:06:58 > 0:07:01you'd be surprised what you stop.
0:07:01 > 0:07:06Just carrying out speed checks for speeding motorists on the motorway.
0:07:06 > 0:07:07Ten years in the service,
0:07:07 > 0:07:11PC John Parry moved to Scotland for the outdoor life.
0:07:11 > 0:07:14Today he's speed checking the morning rush hour
0:07:14 > 0:07:18with PC Scott Burnett on the same motorway as the crashed car.
0:07:18 > 0:07:23We're looking at speeds of about 75, 76 miles an hour.
0:07:23 > 0:07:25That's presently.
0:07:27 > 0:07:29When the road gets quiet, you know,
0:07:29 > 0:07:32you start to get people picking up their speeds.
0:07:32 > 0:07:36It's not long before they find their first offender.
0:07:36 > 0:07:39And I can...I can see there, the beeper there,
0:07:39 > 0:07:41has just detected one at 92.
0:07:41 > 0:07:45The officers turn on the blue lights and take off to catch the culprit,
0:07:45 > 0:07:49who has been clocked doing 92 in a 70 limit.
0:07:53 > 0:07:55Yeah, bear in mind,
0:07:55 > 0:07:57we're taking off from a standing start,
0:07:57 > 0:08:01so the vehicle's sitting at 92, that's what he's detected at.
0:08:01 > 0:08:04In 2011, exceeding the speed limit
0:08:04 > 0:08:06or travelling too fast for the conditions
0:08:06 > 0:08:09caused a quarter of all road deaths.
0:08:14 > 0:08:18This driver has a police car just behind him, and he's still speeding.
0:08:21 > 0:08:25This is the vehicle in front of us now.
0:08:25 > 0:08:28So we'll just try and stop him as safely as possible.
0:08:28 > 0:08:31He's still sitting at 83 miles an hour,
0:08:31 > 0:08:34using the calibrated speedometer of the car.
0:08:34 > 0:08:37However, he's failed to see we're still behind him,
0:08:37 > 0:08:39so he is starting to decrease in speed now.
0:08:45 > 0:08:47Finally, the driver pulls over.
0:08:53 > 0:08:56It turns out that not only has the driver been speeding,
0:08:56 > 0:08:58his passengers haven't been wearing seatbelts,
0:08:58 > 0:09:02which is against the law and carries a £60 fine.
0:09:02 > 0:09:03How you doing?
0:09:03 > 0:09:06Is there any reason you're not wearing your seatbelt?
0:09:06 > 0:09:09You need to wear that, all right?
0:09:09 > 0:09:11Same for yourself.
0:09:11 > 0:09:13Seatbelts need to be on.
0:09:13 > 0:09:14First things first,
0:09:14 > 0:09:18John and Scott want to speak to the driver away from his passengers.
0:09:18 > 0:09:21Three of them weren't wearing seatbelts.
0:09:21 > 0:09:25And John discovers this isn't the driver's first traffic offence.
0:09:25 > 0:09:28So do you have any points on your driving licence at all?
0:09:28 > 0:09:33How many do you have? You've got six points, yeah? OK.
0:09:33 > 0:09:36Speeding at 92 miles an hour could mean another three points
0:09:36 > 0:09:38and a £60 fine.
0:09:38 > 0:09:42What I must do is I must caution or charge you with the offence
0:09:42 > 0:09:44that on today's day and date,
0:09:44 > 0:09:46on the A74M, northbound, er, southbound carriageway,
0:09:46 > 0:09:48near to junction 17, Lockerbie,
0:09:48 > 0:09:49you did drive at 92 miles per hour,
0:09:49 > 0:09:51when you're restricted to 70 miles per hour.
0:09:51 > 0:09:54Do you understand that charge, first of all?
0:09:54 > 0:09:58Now John deals with the passengers who weren't wearing their seatbelts.
0:09:58 > 0:10:00Do you have any identification on you?
0:10:00 > 0:10:03Something with your name on.
0:10:03 > 0:10:06Do you have a credit card, something with your name on?
0:10:06 > 0:10:09You've got nothing on you whatsoever?
0:10:09 > 0:10:11You've no identification on you, at all?
0:10:12 > 0:10:15Both officers are beginning to get suspicious
0:10:15 > 0:10:18as the first passenger's claiming not to have any ID.
0:10:18 > 0:10:20Where are you from? Indian citizen, yeah?
0:10:20 > 0:10:23How long have you been in the country?
0:10:23 > 0:10:26You've been here three years?
0:10:26 > 0:10:28How did you get into the country?
0:10:28 > 0:10:29How?
0:10:30 > 0:10:33What started as a routine speeding stop
0:10:33 > 0:10:35is turning into more of a mystery.
0:10:35 > 0:10:38The passengers' stories aren't ringing true to PC John Parry,
0:10:38 > 0:10:40and he starts to suspect that
0:10:40 > 0:10:43there's more to this than meets the eye.
0:10:52 > 0:10:55All over Britain, rural emergency services
0:10:55 > 0:10:59have to deal with greater distances and more difficult roads
0:10:59 > 0:11:00than their counterparts in the city.
0:11:05 > 0:11:07After receiving a 999 call,
0:11:07 > 0:11:11paramedics Derek and Susan have negotiated bad weather
0:11:11 > 0:11:14and a crashed lorry blocking the road
0:11:14 > 0:11:15to finally arrive at the scene
0:11:15 > 0:11:18of a road traffic collision on the M74,
0:11:18 > 0:11:22the main motorway linking Scotland and England.
0:11:22 > 0:11:24There's a car upside down.
0:11:24 > 0:11:26Can't see anybody in the car,
0:11:26 > 0:11:29so hopefully, I think that must be him there.
0:11:29 > 0:11:30We'll go and have a word.
0:11:30 > 0:11:33The sight of an upturned car in the central reservation
0:11:33 > 0:11:36is immediately worrying.
0:11:36 > 0:11:39Initial thought when you see a car upside down on a motorway,
0:11:39 > 0:11:41you do fear the worst,
0:11:41 > 0:11:43that there's maybe somebody seriously injured,
0:11:43 > 0:11:44or worse, in the car.
0:11:46 > 0:11:49The fire service are already on the scene.
0:11:49 > 0:11:53Miraculously, the occupants of the car have walked free.
0:11:53 > 0:11:56But still, the paramedics must check their injuries.
0:11:56 > 0:11:58Yeah, I'm OK, yeah.
0:11:58 > 0:12:00My neck is really, really sore.
0:12:03 > 0:12:06Blood pressure's slightly high, but it's to be expected, isn't it?
0:12:06 > 0:12:09- These type of things.- Not in the calmest of situations here!
0:12:09 > 0:12:11Do you feel dizzy at the moment?
0:12:11 > 0:12:13- No, not really.- Vision OK?
0:12:13 > 0:12:15Yeah, vision's OK, yeah.
0:12:15 > 0:12:17Is it in the middle or is it more at the side?
0:12:17 > 0:12:20It's in the middle but higher up, right in the back of my neck.
0:12:20 > 0:12:21Right under my...
0:12:23 > 0:12:25Oh, yeah, just, about in there.
0:12:25 > 0:12:27Just in here?
0:12:27 > 0:12:30Yeah, and in the middle and the back. Right high up.
0:12:30 > 0:12:32Top of your head there, aye.
0:12:35 > 0:12:38When temperatures drop below seven degrees,
0:12:38 > 0:12:40car tyres have less traction on the road.
0:12:43 > 0:12:46Combine this with heavy rain and surface water
0:12:46 > 0:12:48and the outcome can be deadly.
0:12:50 > 0:12:53The occupants of the upturned car are lucky to be alive.
0:12:55 > 0:12:59Gill and her husband Keith were heading home for Christmas
0:12:59 > 0:13:02when their car aquaplaned on surface water in the fast lane
0:13:02 > 0:13:04and flipped onto its roof.
0:13:04 > 0:13:06Basically coming up the motorway
0:13:06 > 0:13:09and, the traffic, there's no...
0:13:09 > 0:13:12no cars, traffic on the inside lane,
0:13:12 > 0:13:14everything was sitting in the middle lane,
0:13:14 > 0:13:17and I had to pull to the outside lane to pass
0:13:17 > 0:13:20and hit a large area of standing water.
0:13:20 > 0:13:22And the car spun, full 360,
0:13:22 > 0:13:27and when it hit the barrier it then started rolling.
0:13:27 > 0:13:31Just glad that everyone's safe and alive.
0:13:31 > 0:13:35Gill has sustained an injury to her neck and it's not long
0:13:35 > 0:13:38before the ambulance journey begins to take its toll.
0:13:38 > 0:13:41All right, Gill? Do you want some gas and air, or...?
0:13:41 > 0:13:44Just for the bumps in the journey? No?
0:13:44 > 0:13:47- Yeah, I maybe will, actually. Oh! - It's all right, all right.
0:13:50 > 0:13:54Takes maybe a minute or two to get into your system.
0:13:54 > 0:13:55It's clear to Derek
0:13:55 > 0:13:58that despite giving Gill the pain-relieving gas Entonox,
0:13:58 > 0:14:01her pain is getting worse.
0:14:01 > 0:14:02He takes immediate action
0:14:02 > 0:14:06and asks Susan to pull over in order to immobilise Gill
0:14:06 > 0:14:08for the rest of her journey to hospital.
0:14:08 > 0:14:12Just pull in at the...just pull in at the side here, Susan.
0:14:12 > 0:14:14Just try and keep her head down a wee bit,
0:14:14 > 0:14:16think the wiggling about's a wee bit painful.
0:14:18 > 0:14:19Put this on.
0:14:19 > 0:14:22'The pain in her neck seemed to be a little worse'
0:14:22 > 0:14:24than she initially said.
0:14:24 > 0:14:26So then, try to lay her,
0:14:26 > 0:14:28try to lay her as flat as possible,
0:14:28 > 0:14:32and obviously I put the blocks at the side and taped her head,
0:14:32 > 0:14:34just to stop her head from moving around,
0:14:34 > 0:14:37which seemed to have eased the pain a little bit.
0:14:37 > 0:14:40Yeah. Sometimes people, when they're in accidents,
0:14:40 > 0:14:44you get like an adrenaline rush,
0:14:44 > 0:14:47just with the...the shock of being in an accident.
0:14:47 > 0:14:49You know, once the adrenaline thing wears off, then...
0:14:49 > 0:14:52the pain can then become a little bit stronger.
0:14:55 > 0:14:56OK.
0:14:56 > 0:14:58The deterioration in Gill's condition
0:14:58 > 0:15:02is a worry for her husband and the paramedics.
0:15:02 > 0:15:04They must get her to hospital fast.
0:15:13 > 0:15:16Later, Gill's injuries are assessed in casualty.
0:15:16 > 0:15:18We need to look at this in more depth,
0:15:18 > 0:15:20so I'll organise a CT scan of her neck.
0:15:22 > 0:15:25On the main motorway linking Scotland and England,
0:15:25 > 0:15:29the routine speeding stop has more twists and turns.
0:15:29 > 0:15:32You don't know where he's staying? He's saying he's staying with you.
0:15:32 > 0:15:34Your boy in the back.
0:15:34 > 0:15:39But first, the Royal Navy Search and Rescue team race against time
0:15:39 > 0:15:42to save two fishermen adrift in the Atlantic Ocean.
0:15:52 > 0:15:54In rural Britain,
0:15:54 > 0:15:57emergency services like Search and Rescue helicopter crews,
0:15:57 > 0:16:00travel hundreds of miles to reach our outlying communities.
0:16:03 > 0:16:06HMS Gannet, on Scotland's south-west coast,
0:16:06 > 0:16:10is home to the Royal Navy's Search and Rescue Unit.
0:16:10 > 0:16:13It covers a huge area of Scotland and Northern Ireland
0:16:13 > 0:16:15and parts of the North of England.
0:16:19 > 0:16:22Today, the crew are getting briefed on a training exercise,
0:16:22 > 0:16:26by their Commanding Officer, Andy Drodge.
0:16:26 > 0:16:29Andy is a Gulf War veteran with 23 years' service
0:16:29 > 0:16:33and has been stationed all over the world.
0:16:33 > 0:16:35OK, today, lack of power
0:16:35 > 0:16:38will be the thing to take note of
0:16:38 > 0:16:42and we'll risk assess and if we are unsure just do a...
0:16:42 > 0:16:45Andy will be the observer, or navigator,
0:16:45 > 0:16:47on board the Sea King Helicopter.
0:16:47 > 0:16:50..Yankee, Whiskey, Yankee, Alpha...
0:16:50 > 0:16:52As HMS Gannet's Commanding Officer,
0:16:52 > 0:16:57he carries overall responsibility for rescue and training missions.
0:16:57 > 0:17:00Anything on the water...over the water, sorry, we will bag up
0:17:00 > 0:17:03before we go now, it's getting quite cold out there.
0:17:03 > 0:17:08Honing their skills is a vital part of the crew's daily routine.
0:17:08 > 0:17:10Today it's an over-sea training exercise.
0:17:10 > 0:17:13Dressing for the occasion is essential
0:17:13 > 0:17:18and Winchman Taff Ashman isn't taking any chances.
0:17:18 > 0:17:21If we have any issues, obviously, and crash into the water,
0:17:21 > 0:17:25the idea is that we've got protection on, keep us dry,
0:17:25 > 0:17:27until we can get picked up by the coastguard.
0:17:27 > 0:17:31It's likely Taff will be getting wet.
0:17:31 > 0:17:33Little bit of a winch exercise
0:17:33 > 0:17:37but obviously cos we're in a low hover over the water
0:17:37 > 0:17:39the sea temperature is getting a bit cold,
0:17:39 > 0:17:42certainly too cold for overalls.
0:17:42 > 0:17:47With up to 400 callouts a year, they must be ready for anything -
0:17:47 > 0:17:49from rescuing injured climbers,
0:17:49 > 0:17:54to helping women in labour on remote islands get to the nearest hospital.
0:17:54 > 0:17:59Just as they take off, the exercise is abandoned.
0:17:59 > 0:18:00They get an emergency call
0:18:00 > 0:18:03to carry out an urgent rescue in the Atlantic Ocean.
0:18:08 > 0:18:12This is Rescue 177, the sinking fishing vessel,
0:18:12 > 0:18:15do you have numbers of persons on board? Over.
0:18:15 > 0:18:18A fishing boat is in trouble off the west coast of Scotland,
0:18:18 > 0:18:19around 40 minutes from base.
0:18:28 > 0:18:29There are two people on board
0:18:29 > 0:18:33and their boat, The Paulanda, has started to sink.
0:18:33 > 0:18:36The Royal Navy helicopter has a pump on board
0:18:36 > 0:18:39to help salvage the boat if necessary.
0:18:39 > 0:18:42But their first priority is the crew.
0:18:42 > 0:18:45When you get called to a boat that's taking on water or sinking,
0:18:45 > 0:18:47obviously the thoughts,
0:18:47 > 0:18:49we're going predominantly for the crew,
0:18:49 > 0:18:53the salvage issue isn't really our job. It's life.
0:18:58 > 0:19:01Up front, pilot Lloydy Shanahan
0:19:01 > 0:19:03and co-pilot "Willow" Wielopolski
0:19:03 > 0:19:07must fly 70 miles west, across Arran, Kintyre and Islay
0:19:07 > 0:19:12to try and find the two fishermen stranded in the Atlantic Ocean.
0:19:12 > 0:19:16The boat is taking on water, so time is of the essence.
0:19:22 > 0:19:25With 50 miles still to go, the crew are given a worrying update.
0:19:39 > 0:19:42Gallons of water are gushing into the boat,
0:19:42 > 0:19:45so the fishermen are in grave danger.
0:19:45 > 0:19:49The sea temperature is a chilling nine degrees centigrade.
0:19:49 > 0:19:50If they end up in the sea,
0:19:50 > 0:19:54the two men could get very cold, very quickly.
0:19:54 > 0:19:57And the consequences could be fatal.
0:20:05 > 0:20:07This may be rural Britain
0:20:07 > 0:20:12but the police here still uncover plenty of criminal activity,
0:20:12 > 0:20:16often following a hunch on a routine exercise.
0:20:16 > 0:20:18PCs John Parry and Scott Burnett
0:20:18 > 0:20:24caught a vehicle travelling at 92mph in a 70mph limit.
0:20:24 > 0:20:27After stopping the speeding driver,
0:20:27 > 0:20:29they found his two passengers weren't wearing seatbelts
0:20:29 > 0:20:32and one of them has no ID.
0:20:34 > 0:20:38Are you an illegal immigrant? Should you be in the country?
0:20:38 > 0:20:40You should be. What's your home address?
0:20:40 > 0:20:42The passengers have limited English,
0:20:42 > 0:20:46making it harder for John and Scott to unravel this case.
0:20:51 > 0:20:53Have you got any identification on you?
0:20:53 > 0:20:56The other passenger also claims to have no ID
0:20:56 > 0:20:59and the driver isn't backing up either of their stories
0:20:59 > 0:21:02about who they are or where they're living.
0:21:02 > 0:21:05You don't know where he's staying? He's saying he's staying with you.
0:21:05 > 0:21:07Your boy in the back.
0:21:07 > 0:21:09He's not staying with you?
0:21:09 > 0:21:12Sends alarm bells ringing straight away,
0:21:12 > 0:21:15thinking that this guy's told me that he lives with the driver.
0:21:15 > 0:21:18The driver has no recollection of him living with him,
0:21:18 > 0:21:22so obviously lies are getting told, from the very beginning.
0:21:22 > 0:21:24As they're contradicting each other's stories,
0:21:24 > 0:21:27John confronts the first passenger again.
0:21:27 > 0:21:31What we're doing is, we're checking with Manchester Port now,
0:21:31 > 0:21:35just... We're checking, we're checking with the port unit,
0:21:35 > 0:21:38to see if you have came through.
0:21:38 > 0:21:41OK, if you... if you've came on a plane,
0:21:41 > 0:21:43there'll be a record of that.
0:21:43 > 0:21:47There's something not right between these two gentlemen.
0:21:47 > 0:21:48Experience does tell you,
0:21:48 > 0:21:51because you've dealt with these sort of situations before,
0:21:51 > 0:21:55that...you need to start digging a bit deeper.
0:21:55 > 0:22:00So the best people to get in touch with are the immigration services.
0:22:00 > 0:22:03Hello, wonder if you can help me, I don't know if it's the right number.
0:22:03 > 0:22:06My name's Scott Burnett, I'm a constable...
0:22:06 > 0:22:08Still perched on the hard shoulder,
0:22:08 > 0:22:10Scott's contacting the UK Border Agency
0:22:10 > 0:22:14and he's trying to confirm the visa status of the two passengers.
0:22:15 > 0:22:19Of the three people that we've got here,
0:22:19 > 0:22:22one does have a driving licence, he's checked out OK.
0:22:22 > 0:22:23He does have a business.
0:22:23 > 0:22:26However, the two other persons within the vehicle
0:22:26 > 0:22:30have very, very broken English, no identification on them whatsoever,
0:22:30 > 0:22:33cannot really answer basic questions.
0:22:33 > 0:22:35So once these checks have been carried out
0:22:35 > 0:22:37and they've been carried out satisfactorily,
0:22:37 > 0:22:40and we're happy these people are who they say they are,
0:22:40 > 0:22:41then we'll let them on their way.
0:22:45 > 0:22:49My gut instinct is that they may be in the country illegally.
0:22:52 > 0:22:54The call to the UK Border Agency
0:22:54 > 0:22:56looks like it's backing up John's hunch.
0:23:00 > 0:23:02I'm on the phone to immigration.
0:23:02 > 0:23:05They can find no records of your work permit,
0:23:05 > 0:23:08all they can find is a permit which was issued to you,
0:23:08 > 0:23:10which allowed you to stay here for six months.
0:23:10 > 0:23:14That's it. That expired 2011.
0:23:15 > 0:23:17His visa ran out over a year ago,
0:23:17 > 0:23:20which means he's at risk of deportation.
0:23:23 > 0:23:25The driver has picked up a £60 fine
0:23:25 > 0:23:28and three points on his licence for speeding.
0:23:28 > 0:23:31But his passengers are in much more serious trouble.
0:23:32 > 0:23:34Right, OK.
0:23:34 > 0:23:36You've outstayed your visa, all right?
0:23:36 > 0:23:38So you're being arrested
0:23:38 > 0:23:41under Section 28A of the Immigration Act, 1971, OK?
0:23:44 > 0:23:47The UK Border Agency asked the officers to arrest both
0:23:47 > 0:23:50the passengers and take them back to Dumfries police station,
0:23:50 > 0:23:53where they'll be questioned by a senior immigration officer.
0:23:53 > 0:23:57They're handcuffed and taken into custody.
0:23:57 > 0:24:00Back at the station, they'll be searched thoroughly,
0:24:00 > 0:24:03before the officers hand the men over to immigration.
0:24:05 > 0:24:06Being caught in a speeding car
0:24:06 > 0:24:10could lead to this being their last day of liberty in the UK.
0:24:19 > 0:24:24In 2010, there were over 120,000 collisions on Britain's roads.
0:24:24 > 0:24:26Over 1,600 of them were fatal.
0:24:31 > 0:24:35Paramedics Derek and Susan are bringing car crash victim Gill
0:24:35 > 0:24:37to the local A&E at Dumfries Royal Infirmary.
0:24:40 > 0:24:43Gill has a suspected neck and spine injury.
0:24:43 > 0:24:46Despite miraculously walking free from her upturned car,
0:24:46 > 0:24:51she's now showing worrying signs of deterioration.
0:24:51 > 0:24:54I'll have to keep you immobilised, I'm afraid.
0:24:54 > 0:24:58Having safely delivered Gill the 20 miles to hospital in bad weather,
0:24:58 > 0:25:02Derek and Susan hand over Gill's care to the A&E team.
0:25:02 > 0:25:04And, one, two, three, slide.
0:25:06 > 0:25:08More than six hours into a busy shift
0:25:08 > 0:25:11is consultant Peter Armstrong.
0:25:11 > 0:25:14With four years in a busy rural A&E department,
0:25:14 > 0:25:18he's all too familiar with the consequences of traffic accidents.
0:25:18 > 0:25:21- You'd a seatbelt on? - Yeah, I had a seatbelt on.
0:25:21 > 0:25:23Excellent, you got out of the vehicle by yourself?
0:25:23 > 0:25:26Fantastic! OK, perfect. Good, good.
0:25:26 > 0:25:28Can you wiggle your toes?
0:25:28 > 0:25:31- Excellent, you feel me touching round your toes?- Yeah.
0:25:31 > 0:25:34You feel me touching in between your toes there?
0:25:34 > 0:25:36Any tingling down your arms and legs?
0:25:36 > 0:25:38Just on my little fingers.
0:25:38 > 0:25:42- Right, OK. Both sides, or just...? - Both sides a wee bit, yeah.
0:25:42 > 0:25:45- OK, and is that getting better, or is it the same?- Still the same.
0:25:45 > 0:25:48I think the fact that she's been up and mobile,
0:25:48 > 0:25:51and walking around at the scene is very reassuring.
0:25:51 > 0:25:54I think, though, if she's got tenderness into her neck bones
0:25:54 > 0:25:56and her back bones, it would be sensible that we X-ray
0:25:56 > 0:25:59and just... Especially given that she's got some tingling
0:25:59 > 0:26:03down towards the bottom of her fingers.
0:26:05 > 0:26:08Well, we'll we do a pelvis and a...and a cervical spine.
0:26:08 > 0:26:09The only other thing is,
0:26:09 > 0:26:12we may need to think about that clavicle as well,
0:26:12 > 0:26:13so it might be worthwhile.
0:26:13 > 0:26:15OK.
0:26:15 > 0:26:17So we'll see if we can get some analgesia for them
0:26:17 > 0:26:21and then we'll take it from... take it from there.
0:26:26 > 0:26:30Gill is transferred for an X-ray, so Pete takes a quick break.
0:26:30 > 0:26:33I've been on the shop floor for seven hours now so...
0:26:33 > 0:26:35I just thought I would...
0:26:35 > 0:26:38Haven't had any lunch, so I just thought I'd grab a coffee
0:26:38 > 0:26:42and recharge the batteries for a few minutes.
0:26:43 > 0:26:45It's been an interesting day.
0:26:45 > 0:26:48We've had a wide, wide mixture of patients coming in
0:26:48 > 0:26:50from relatively minor conditions
0:26:50 > 0:26:53to other people with quite nasty broken bones.
0:26:53 > 0:26:56We've seen a few other more unusual cases.
0:26:56 > 0:26:59I've got a patient with some burns to...
0:26:59 > 0:27:04to the buttocks having sat on a hot wood burning stove last night.
0:27:04 > 0:27:06So that's a rather unusual presentation,
0:27:06 > 0:27:08it's not something we see every day.
0:27:11 > 0:27:14Gill's X-rays are back from Radiology.
0:27:15 > 0:27:18Let's, well, let's just see the... cervical spine first.
0:27:20 > 0:27:23It's tender down her neck
0:27:23 > 0:27:25and she has some tingling in both hands,
0:27:25 > 0:27:28which you sometimes get
0:27:28 > 0:27:32with irritation of the nerves at the bottom of the neck.
0:27:32 > 0:27:34She is also tender over her collarbone,
0:27:34 > 0:27:38which may be a reflection of where the seatbelt came over.
0:27:38 > 0:27:40It was her left collarbone.
0:27:40 > 0:27:44If somebody has been travelling at 70mph, has rapidly decelerated,
0:27:44 > 0:27:45the body will keep moving.
0:27:45 > 0:27:48The car will slow, the seatbelts will kick in,
0:27:48 > 0:27:52so you expect some tenderness and pain around the collarbone.
0:27:52 > 0:27:54What happens is the head and neck keep moving,
0:27:54 > 0:28:00so you can get a potential flexion-type injury at the neck.
0:28:00 > 0:28:05Hence she will be sore in the neck and we're concerned about that.
0:28:07 > 0:28:10It's an injury that Pete sees often.
0:28:10 > 0:28:15Road traffic accidents are a regular feature of life in a rural A&E unit.
0:28:15 > 0:28:18Being in a rural environment, we do see...
0:28:18 > 0:28:22accidents as a result of people driving too fast,
0:28:22 > 0:28:25or excessively fast for the road conditions.
0:28:25 > 0:28:27So, you know, car accidents and road accidents
0:28:27 > 0:28:29are very common in this part of the world.
0:28:34 > 0:28:37Hello again. Had a look at those X-rays.
0:28:37 > 0:28:41The X-ray of your collarbone looks absolutely fine, OK.
0:28:41 > 0:28:42The X-ray of your pelvis
0:28:42 > 0:28:45and that hip on the right side looks absolutely fine.
0:28:45 > 0:28:47How's this tingling in the hand?
0:28:47 > 0:28:49Now I'm warmer it's a lot better.
0:28:49 > 0:28:51Has it completely settled now?
0:28:51 > 0:28:54- Yeah.- Fantastic! I'll just loosen off this collar
0:28:54 > 0:28:58and I'm going to have a little feel down the back of your neck.
0:28:58 > 0:29:01- Ooh! Yeah, that one there. - OK. How about there?
0:29:01 > 0:29:06- That's OK. - And there at that side?- That's OK.
0:29:06 > 0:29:08It's really, really painful where you're pressing.
0:29:08 > 0:29:11OK, and is that making the tingling down your arms worse?
0:29:11 > 0:29:15- It's on that...that side. - OK, I'm going to put this collar back on, I'm afraid.
0:29:20 > 0:29:23I had hoped that we would be able to remove that collar
0:29:23 > 0:29:25but she's very tender down at the junction
0:29:25 > 0:29:28between the cervical vertebrae, which are the neck sort of building blocks,
0:29:28 > 0:29:29and the thoracic vertebrae,
0:29:29 > 0:29:33which are the building blocks that make up the spine and the upper back.
0:29:33 > 0:29:36She does have a lot of tenderness in that area
0:29:36 > 0:29:38and she's got some symptoms down her,
0:29:38 > 0:29:39particularly her right arm,
0:29:39 > 0:29:41so I think the safest thing to do
0:29:41 > 0:29:45is that we make sure there's no signs of a break in there.
0:29:45 > 0:29:49The tenderness in Gill's neck is a worry.
0:29:49 > 0:29:52After the initial X-ray, Pete's still not happy.
0:29:52 > 0:29:55Her symptoms need further investigation.
0:29:55 > 0:29:58So, for now, Gill's ordeal is still not over.
0:30:06 > 0:30:0860 miles to the north-west of the hospital,
0:30:08 > 0:30:11the Royal Navy's Search and Rescue team
0:30:11 > 0:30:13are en route to an emergency callout.
0:30:13 > 0:30:17Two fishermen are aboard a sinking boat in the Atlantic Ocean,
0:30:17 > 0:30:2020 miles west of the Hebridean island of Islay.
0:30:24 > 0:30:27The incoming information is getting more and more serious.
0:30:27 > 0:30:29The vessel is taking on water,
0:30:29 > 0:30:33so it won't be long before it's completely under.
0:30:33 > 0:30:37Commanding Officer Andy Drodge needs to reassess their rescue plans.
0:30:37 > 0:30:39From the reports we're getting,
0:30:39 > 0:30:41my initial reaction will be to get the two fishermen off the boat,
0:30:41 > 0:30:45so I'll be putting Taff down, my winchman,
0:30:45 > 0:30:49onto the boat, looking to get those two fishermen off straight away.
0:30:51 > 0:30:53The crew get a very worrying update,
0:30:53 > 0:30:56turning this into a life-threatening situation.
0:31:01 > 0:31:03OK, they've abandoned?
0:31:25 > 0:31:27The fishermen are adrift in the ocean
0:31:27 > 0:31:30and hypothermia is Taff's biggest worry.
0:31:30 > 0:31:33As a trained paramedic, he needs to think on his feet
0:31:33 > 0:31:35about the potential physical condition of the casualties.
0:31:55 > 0:32:00In the UK in 2011, more than 200 people died from hypothermia.
0:32:01 > 0:32:03If the fishermen are in the water,
0:32:03 > 0:32:07they will be flown directly to hospital after their rescue.
0:32:07 > 0:32:09If they've actually got wet, being in the water,
0:32:09 > 0:32:14then they're obviously going to be cold within the life raft itself.
0:32:14 > 0:32:15I mean, being in November,
0:32:15 > 0:32:17obviously winter's sort of approaching,
0:32:17 > 0:32:19so the sea temperature is starting to drop.
0:32:19 > 0:32:23Obviously the prospect of hypothermia is quite high.
0:32:25 > 0:32:29After a 35 minute journey, they finally spot the two fishermen.
0:32:29 > 0:32:33Rescue 177 now on scene at vessel in distress
0:32:33 > 0:32:36and visual the life raft.
0:32:38 > 0:32:42The lonely life raft is adrift, 20 miles away from land.
0:32:42 > 0:32:46Rescue 177 have visual the survivor in the life raft,
0:32:46 > 0:32:47position as flagged earlier.
0:32:48 > 0:32:51The helicopter is their best hope of getting to safety quickly.
0:32:53 > 0:32:54It's down to winchman Taff
0:32:54 > 0:32:58to get them back up to the Sea King as quickly as possible,
0:32:58 > 0:33:01but he doesn't know what state the two fishermen are in.
0:33:09 > 0:33:11Back in Dumfries and Galloway,
0:33:11 > 0:33:13PCs John Parry and Scott Burnett
0:33:13 > 0:33:16pulled over a driver speeding at 92mph
0:33:16 > 0:33:19and found the passengers weren't wearing seat belts.
0:33:20 > 0:33:24How you doing? Is there any reason you're not wearing your seatbelt?
0:33:24 > 0:33:26But that was just the tip of the iceberg.
0:33:29 > 0:33:31Further investigation uncovered
0:33:31 > 0:33:34that both passengers have overstayed their visas.
0:33:34 > 0:33:36Now the officers have brought them back to the station
0:33:36 > 0:33:38so they can be questioned further.
0:33:40 > 0:33:43So it's Section 28A of the Immigration Act, 1971.
0:33:45 > 0:33:47The Chief Immigration Officer's on his way,
0:33:47 > 0:33:51so the two men will be kept apart in cells until he arrives.
0:33:51 > 0:33:53But first they must be searched.
0:33:56 > 0:34:00It turns out they're both carrying hefty sums of cash.
0:34:02 > 0:34:06- Do you know how much money you have? - Yes.- How much?- 600.
0:34:06 > 0:34:09The police suspect they've been working illegally in the UK
0:34:09 > 0:34:11for cash in hand.
0:34:11 > 0:34:14What started out as a minor traffic offence
0:34:14 > 0:34:17has lead to a chain of suspicion.
0:34:17 > 0:34:19Just take your jacket off for me.
0:34:19 > 0:34:21There's a lot of people who think just road traffic...
0:34:21 > 0:34:25it's all about the seatbelts, speeding, etc.
0:34:26 > 0:34:29But going out there and doing your job
0:34:29 > 0:34:33and dealing with minor things do lead into bigger things.
0:34:33 > 0:34:36And it does give you... it does give you job satisfaction.
0:34:40 > 0:34:42Both men are now in custody,
0:34:42 > 0:34:45whilst the UK Border Agency carry out further investigations...
0:34:47 > 0:34:49..which could lead to their deportation
0:34:49 > 0:34:51and a ten year ban to re-enter the UK.
0:35:10 > 0:35:12Two hours since Gill's crash,
0:35:12 > 0:35:15she is now being assessed at Dumfries Royal Infirmary.
0:35:16 > 0:35:19It's the main hospital for this part of the UK,
0:35:19 > 0:35:24with a catchment area of 2,400 square miles.
0:35:24 > 0:35:27It covers a vast network of dangerous, rural roads.
0:35:29 > 0:35:32Dealing with car crashes is a huge part of their job.
0:35:33 > 0:35:36Gill is being closely monitored in their A&E department.
0:35:38 > 0:35:41Gill's injury is continuing to give her more pain
0:35:41 > 0:35:44and Pete is worried that there may be a hidden fracture,
0:35:44 > 0:35:45not evident in the X-ray.
0:35:47 > 0:35:49Whilst it looks OK on that, she does have tenderness
0:35:49 > 0:35:52that's also causing irritation in some of the nerves
0:35:52 > 0:35:53that would be around that region.
0:35:53 > 0:35:55So we need to look at this in a bit more depth,
0:35:55 > 0:35:58so I'll organise that we do a CT scan of her neck
0:35:58 > 0:36:01and it involves a patient sort of going through a special machine
0:36:01 > 0:36:04that looks like a big doughnut,
0:36:04 > 0:36:06but the information it gives us is much greater
0:36:06 > 0:36:09and that's what I'm looking for in this situation.
0:36:14 > 0:36:16Yep, good? Excellent. Excellent.
0:36:19 > 0:36:22You're fine. You're fine, Gill.
0:36:22 > 0:36:23One, two, three, slide.
0:36:26 > 0:36:29The CT scan is taking cross-sectional images of Gill's body,
0:36:29 > 0:36:33which will produce a more detailed picture of her bone and soft tissue.
0:36:36 > 0:36:38You would have heard it blip, blip, blip there,
0:36:38 > 0:36:40and that was it, the scan taking each image,
0:36:40 > 0:36:43so it only takes literally a few seconds.
0:36:43 > 0:36:47Now the radiologist will go through those images and have a look at them.
0:36:49 > 0:36:51If the initial X-rays missed something,
0:36:51 > 0:36:54the radiologist should be able to pick up any signs of damage
0:36:54 > 0:36:55from the CT images.
0:37:11 > 0:37:12Well done.
0:37:12 > 0:37:13How's that then? Have you seen them?
0:37:13 > 0:37:16Yeah, so far so good, but we're just waiting on a couple of...
0:37:16 > 0:37:19processing a couple of last images. OK?
0:37:25 > 0:37:27Armed with the full results of the CT scan,
0:37:27 > 0:37:30Pete gives Gill some very welcome news.
0:37:30 > 0:37:34How are we doing there? OK. Right.
0:37:34 > 0:37:38That scan looks A-OK, OK? No signs of anything... any break in there,
0:37:38 > 0:37:42so I think what we'll do now is just take this, take this off, OK?
0:37:42 > 0:37:45No further tingling down those arms? Settled? Brilliant.
0:37:45 > 0:37:47I'll just release this for a moment.
0:37:47 > 0:37:49Don't do too much too soon. OK?
0:37:49 > 0:37:51- How does that feel now?- That's OK.
0:37:51 > 0:37:55OK, whenever you're moving your neck about, any tingling down the arms?
0:37:55 > 0:37:57No.
0:37:57 > 0:37:59Excellent, good, good.
0:37:59 > 0:38:01It's a huge relief.
0:38:01 > 0:38:05The processed CT scans show there is no indication of any serious injury.
0:38:08 > 0:38:11So it looks like we've got a good outcome with Mrs Heard.
0:38:11 > 0:38:13I mean, things could have obviously been much worse.
0:38:13 > 0:38:15We've been able to take her collar off now.
0:38:15 > 0:38:18The CT has shown that she's got some wear and tear
0:38:18 > 0:38:20but no signs of a break in there.
0:38:20 > 0:38:21So, happy to be able to take the collar off
0:38:21 > 0:38:23and she's much more comfortable moving around,
0:38:23 > 0:38:26so that she'll hopefully get home shortly.
0:38:28 > 0:38:29It's been a lucky escape for Gill.
0:38:31 > 0:38:35Just six hours since her car dramatically overturned on the motorway,
0:38:35 > 0:38:38she's able to go home and recuperate.
0:38:48 > 0:38:51Out in the Atlantic Ocean, 20 miles west of Islay,
0:38:51 > 0:38:54a different drama is unfolding.
0:38:54 > 0:38:57Two fishermen have abandoned their sinking boat in wintry seas
0:38:57 > 0:39:01and the Royal Navy Search and Rescue team from HMS Gannet
0:39:01 > 0:39:03have rushed to their assistance.
0:39:05 > 0:39:09Winchman Taff Ashman is about to work his way down to the life raft.
0:39:12 > 0:39:14INAUDIBLE DISCUSSION ON RADIO
0:39:27 > 0:39:31But the downdraft from the helicopter is making this difficult.
0:39:31 > 0:39:32Commanding Officer Andy Drodge
0:39:32 > 0:39:34guides the pilot as Taff winches down.
0:39:36 > 0:39:39About four yards. Half-past twelve, five yards.
0:39:42 > 0:39:43Five yards.
0:39:43 > 0:39:45Four yards, three...
0:39:45 > 0:39:48Easy, easy, steady, he's on the life raft.
0:39:51 > 0:39:54Taff must explain what the two men need to do
0:39:54 > 0:39:56to keep them safe on the winch.
0:39:56 > 0:39:58But the helicopter is so noisy,
0:39:58 > 0:40:00he has to shout to make himself understood.
0:40:04 > 0:40:08Taff needs to winch both men up at the same time in a double strop,
0:40:08 > 0:40:10while he waits down below.
0:40:10 > 0:40:11Raising the winch.
0:40:15 > 0:40:16Keep at the side.
0:40:18 > 0:40:21At the door, you take winch control.
0:40:21 > 0:40:24Lower the winch, lower the winch, stop the winch.
0:40:25 > 0:40:28The fishermen are safely on board.
0:40:28 > 0:40:32Now its Taff's turn. But, without any weight to hold it steady,
0:40:32 > 0:40:34the winch is harder to control in the downdraft.
0:40:39 > 0:40:41Five yards, four.
0:40:44 > 0:40:45Easy, easy.
0:40:51 > 0:40:52Three yards.
0:40:54 > 0:40:56Finally, Taff gets a hold of the winch
0:40:56 > 0:40:58and is pulled back on board the Sea King.
0:41:00 > 0:41:04How you doing, fellas? Whereabouts are you from?
0:41:04 > 0:41:07- From Islay.- Islay. Any injuries?
0:41:07 > 0:41:09No.
0:41:09 > 0:41:13Both casualties appear uninjured and are being assessed at this time.
0:41:14 > 0:41:15Stand by for intentions.
0:41:15 > 0:41:18We're currently routing east back towards Islay, over.
0:41:24 > 0:41:28Thankfully, local fishermen Paul and Ben are in good shape.
0:41:28 > 0:41:32Despite their ordeal at sea, they're showing no signs of hypothermia.
0:41:33 > 0:41:38Sadly, their £90,000 boat has sunk to the bottom of the Atlantic.
0:41:39 > 0:41:42Paul had owned the boat for seven years.
0:41:42 > 0:41:45Well, there's been occasions when the boat's taken on water and that
0:41:45 > 0:41:47but we've always managed to figure out what it was and sort it out.
0:41:47 > 0:41:50But there was just too much water in the forward hold
0:41:50 > 0:41:52to see where it was coming from.
0:41:52 > 0:41:54Just...couldn't get in there.
0:41:54 > 0:41:59It would have been...it would have been head-high water, you know?
0:41:59 > 0:42:00Just gutted.
0:42:06 > 0:42:11It's been all go for the emergency services in Scotland's rural areas.
0:42:11 > 0:42:13The detective instincts of PC John Parry
0:42:13 > 0:42:18mean that two men who outstayed their visas are in a detention centre.
0:42:19 > 0:42:22They're being investigated by the UK Border Agency
0:42:22 > 0:42:23and could face deportation.
0:42:25 > 0:42:29After their accident, Keith and Gill are OK.
0:42:29 > 0:42:31Gill's had some bruising and neck pain.
0:42:31 > 0:42:35She took a few days off work, but is now recovering slowly.
0:42:35 > 0:42:37They've all been back on the road since.
0:42:38 > 0:42:41Six weeks after his ordeal in the Atlantic Ocean,
0:42:41 > 0:42:45fisherman Paul received some money from his insurance company.
0:42:45 > 0:42:49He's now back at sea fishing on his new boat, called Obsession.
0:42:50 > 0:42:53And you thought it was quiet in the countryside.
0:43:16 > 0:43:19Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd