0:00:02 > 0:00:05From the Highlands of Scotland to the coast of Cornwall,
0:00:05 > 0:00:08the Great British countryside is spectacular.
0:00:11 > 0:00:14But we work and play in it at our peril.
0:00:16 > 0:00:19And when things go wrong,
0:00:19 > 0:00:22the emergency services race to the rescue...
0:00:22 > 0:00:26This chap is having a heart attack and we need to get him in quickly.
0:00:27 > 0:00:30There's no police courses for this!
0:00:30 > 0:00:33..going hundreds of miles against the clock,
0:00:33 > 0:00:37battling the elements and braving the weather.
0:00:40 > 0:00:45From fields and forests to cliffs and country roads,
0:00:45 > 0:00:48we'll be right at the heart of the action...
0:00:49 > 0:00:51- ..with police fighting crime. - I could seize your dog,
0:00:51 > 0:00:55I could seize your van. But I'm going to summons you all to court.
0:00:55 > 0:00:57Paramedics saving lives...
0:00:59 > 0:01:02..and wardens safeguarding our lakes.
0:01:02 > 0:01:04Come out of the way!
0:01:04 > 0:01:07We're there as the emergency services pull together
0:01:07 > 0:01:11to pick up, patch up, and protect the public.
0:01:13 > 0:01:15This is Countryside 999.
0:01:34 > 0:01:37Coming up, the Durham police pull an all-nighter
0:01:37 > 0:01:40when they go hunting for poachers.
0:01:40 > 0:01:43I'm going to seize that lamp, with that battery.
0:01:43 > 0:01:46Could seize your dog, could seize your van, but I'm not.
0:01:46 > 0:01:49But I'm going to summons you all to court.
0:01:49 > 0:01:52A seriously burned camper desperately in need
0:01:52 > 0:01:54of attention proves difficult to find.
0:02:02 > 0:02:07And another shocking fire at Windermere has tragic consequences.
0:02:08 > 0:02:12There's a heck of a lot of fire and black smoke.
0:02:19 > 0:02:23Cornwall is Britain's most popular holiday destination
0:02:23 > 0:02:26and a greatest hits of the British coastline.
0:02:28 > 0:02:32It's a surfer's paradise with family friendly beaches...
0:02:34 > 0:02:38..lovers' coves and high, challenging cliffs.
0:02:42 > 0:02:46But head inland and 80% of Cornwall's landscape
0:02:46 > 0:02:49is rolling farmland, dotted with remote farms,
0:02:49 > 0:02:51linked by the odd B-road.
0:02:53 > 0:02:59Getting around Cornwall fast isn't easy, unless you've got a chopper.
0:03:02 > 0:03:06The Cornwall Air Ambulance has flown over 24,000 missions
0:03:06 > 0:03:08and saved countless lives
0:03:08 > 0:03:12by dramatically cutting down travel time across the county.
0:03:15 > 0:03:19Mick McLaughlin has been part of the team for eight years.
0:03:19 > 0:03:21Before that he was an air paramedic in London.
0:03:23 > 0:03:26'They're very similar roles.
0:03:26 > 0:03:29'The difference here is mostly down to the geography.'
0:03:29 > 0:03:32It is a big county so we're having to travel further to get to
0:03:32 > 0:03:35patients and then having to travel further to get those patients
0:03:35 > 0:03:37to definitive care.
0:03:40 > 0:03:43It's a male I take it, H? OK. Right, we're on our way.
0:03:46 > 0:03:49An emergency call has come in.
0:03:49 > 0:03:51Right. We've got a job just the other side of Falmouth
0:03:51 > 0:03:54and it's someone whose gas cylinders have exploded.
0:03:54 > 0:03:57Apparently he's got burns to his face.
0:03:59 > 0:04:02The crew is not there yet so we don't really know the severity at all.
0:04:04 > 0:04:08From Newquay, the crew will fly 25 miles south to the
0:04:08 > 0:04:12Helford River estuary, where the patient is in a remote field.
0:04:20 > 0:04:24For calls like this, speed is of the essence.
0:04:24 > 0:04:26When we get a call like this, you know,
0:04:26 > 0:04:29with reports of someone having a gas canister explode
0:04:29 > 0:04:35right in the vicinity of their face, it does raise alarm bells for us.
0:04:37 > 0:04:42They'll be there in 15 minutes, way before the land ambulance.
0:04:45 > 0:04:48With burns it's essential to have the right kit.
0:04:48 > 0:04:51Lead paramedic Steve Garvey has come prepared.
0:04:57 > 0:05:01According to the grid reference, they've arrived.
0:05:01 > 0:05:06We were expecting to sort of see an industrial accident on a farm.
0:05:06 > 0:05:08When we got overhead the grid reference,
0:05:08 > 0:05:11we actually found what appeared to be a campsite.
0:05:22 > 0:05:25A field cleared of livestock isn't the usual description of a campsite.
0:05:31 > 0:05:34And in the confusion, they are losing precious time.
0:05:34 > 0:05:38All those minutes that it takes finding a patient can be
0:05:38 > 0:05:43the difference between, you know, recovering well or having long-term
0:05:43 > 0:05:47injuries and can potentially mean the difference between life and death.
0:05:52 > 0:05:55'As we were orbiting, we identified the scorch marks on the ground.'
0:06:08 > 0:06:13They land just metres away from the patient.
0:06:13 > 0:06:18- Hello there.- Hiya.- Hello there, sir. - Hello.- What's your name, sir?
0:06:18 > 0:06:20- Alan.- Hello, Alan. I'm Mick.
0:06:21 > 0:06:2771-year-old Alan's friend Janine is a former nurse.
0:06:27 > 0:06:29How long have you been cooling it down for?
0:06:29 > 0:06:32We've probably been pouring water as long as he could manage,
0:06:32 > 0:06:35- which is about 10 minutes. - OK, ideal. Thank you.
0:06:36 > 0:06:41Janine poured litres of cold water over the burns, limiting their pain.
0:06:43 > 0:06:46And how are you feeling now, Alan? Pain wise? Obviously uncomfortable.
0:06:52 > 0:06:56Mick needs to find out what caused the burns.
0:06:56 > 0:06:59- What was it? Just a sort of Calor gas cylinder or something?- Yeah.
0:06:59 > 0:07:02And the whole thing exploded or just flared up?
0:07:10 > 0:07:14The flaring camping gas cylinder has acted like a blowtorch.
0:07:16 > 0:07:18The much heat to Alan's face could have a serious
0:07:18 > 0:07:21effect on his breathing.
0:07:21 > 0:07:23Obviously, the things we worry about - your airway.
0:07:23 > 0:07:26'Any burns to the face, you know, we risk an airway injury.
0:07:26 > 0:07:30'It's a very delicate tissue inside the mouth and the nose'
0:07:30 > 0:07:34and you can get a huge amount of swelling very quickly.
0:07:34 > 0:07:37He has got a bit of a burn here but not inside his mouth.
0:07:37 > 0:07:40Yes, no. Looking a nice, normal colour.
0:07:40 > 0:07:43- Alan's airway is clear. - You're looking nice and clean.
0:07:43 > 0:07:46If I asked you to give the pain a score out of ten,
0:07:46 > 0:07:49ten being the worst you could imagine, zero being nothing,
0:07:49 > 0:07:51what's the score it as at the moment?
0:07:52 > 0:07:54So quite significant. OK.
0:07:54 > 0:07:57We'll get the pain sorted out for you in a moment.
0:07:59 > 0:08:01Although Alan won't appreciate it,
0:08:01 > 0:08:05the fact that he is scoring his pain high is good news.
0:08:05 > 0:08:08'The more severe burns often aren't painful'
0:08:08 > 0:08:10because they'll destroy the nerve endings as well.
0:08:10 > 0:08:12But it's those superficial and partial thickness burns
0:08:12 > 0:08:14that can be extremely painful.
0:08:14 > 0:08:17We're just going to wrap your burns in a bit of clingfilm.
0:08:17 > 0:08:19That will stop the air getting to them.
0:08:21 > 0:08:24The clingfilm will act as a temporary skin,
0:08:24 > 0:08:26covering Alan's exposed nerve endings.
0:08:31 > 0:08:36But Alan is going into shock. He's starting to hyperventilate.
0:08:44 > 0:08:47It is a heart-wrenching ordeal for Alan's family.
0:08:48 > 0:08:52The paramedics must ease his pain before they can move him.
0:08:53 > 0:08:56What we've got here is some gas and air.
0:08:56 > 0:09:00Take some nice, deep breaths for me. That's it. Just like that.
0:09:00 > 0:09:03You can just breathe out normally and just keep sucking it in.
0:09:03 > 0:09:05But gas and air isn't enough.
0:09:12 > 0:09:16While Alan's in this much pain, he's going nowhere.
0:09:28 > 0:09:31County Durham in the north of England.
0:09:31 > 0:09:33A beautiful part of the world,
0:09:33 > 0:09:36once famous for its mining and heavy industry.
0:09:40 > 0:09:43Now the landscape and way of life is mostly rural.
0:09:47 > 0:09:50Nearly 1,000 square miles of agricultural land,
0:09:50 > 0:09:54woods and shady valleys are criss-crossed with winding lanes.
0:09:57 > 0:10:01Beautiful by day but at night,
0:10:01 > 0:10:04it provides the perfect cover for crime.
0:10:09 > 0:10:12The Durham Constabulary police every nook and cranny
0:10:12 > 0:10:14of their patch, 24/7.
0:10:17 > 0:10:22Officer Kevin Hall has been with the Derwentside team for ten years.
0:10:23 > 0:10:25I think, for me, joining the police,
0:10:25 > 0:10:29there was an element of serving the communities,
0:10:29 > 0:10:32being able to go out there and make a difference to people's lives,
0:10:32 > 0:10:35being able to find out what their problems are and resolving them
0:10:35 > 0:10:38for them as best as I can.
0:10:39 > 0:10:41At their headquarters in Consett,
0:10:41 > 0:10:43the team are preparing for a night patrol.
0:10:43 > 0:10:48Marked patrols and unmarked patrols predominantly in the Lanchester area.
0:10:48 > 0:10:52That's due to an increase of rural crime.
0:10:52 > 0:10:58Rural crime costs the British economy over £40 million a year.
0:10:58 > 0:10:59And it's rising.
0:10:59 > 0:11:05Burglaries, straightforward thefts and also poaching and hunting
0:11:05 > 0:11:09offences within Lanchester and a little bit further afield.
0:11:11 > 0:11:14On Kevin's beat, poaching is a real problem.
0:11:16 > 0:11:20The aim of our operation was just to go out and catch some poachers.
0:11:20 > 0:11:22Simple as that.
0:11:23 > 0:11:26But poachers are notoriously difficult to catch.
0:11:27 > 0:11:30Tonight the team are travelling from Consett to patrol
0:11:30 > 0:11:32the Lanchester area.
0:11:38 > 0:11:42Poachers hunt for all sorts of game, including deer and rabbit,
0:11:42 > 0:11:44for pleasure and for money.
0:11:47 > 0:11:50They hunt with dogs and guns on other people's land
0:11:50 > 0:11:53and in County Durham, there's a lot of land to police.
0:11:56 > 0:11:59It's 10 o'clock and a call comes in.
0:12:04 > 0:12:07Did she give any sort of direction of where they were going?
0:12:07 > 0:12:09Just into the fields?
0:12:10 > 0:12:15Just got a call from a lady who has been out walking her dogs
0:12:15 > 0:12:21who stated she's seen some males walking with some lurchers,
0:12:21 > 0:12:25possibly a deer in the area and heard a popping noise,
0:12:25 > 0:12:30which may have been an air weapon going off or a rifle.
0:12:30 > 0:12:32So we're just going to go down now
0:12:32 > 0:12:35and have a look around in the area to see if we can trace these lads
0:12:35 > 0:12:38with the dogs and see if we can catch them up to no good, really.
0:12:42 > 0:12:47It's an ancient crime, but these days, poachers use modern tactics.
0:12:47 > 0:12:51Gangs communicate with each other to stay one step ahead of the police.
0:12:54 > 0:12:56Just seen some faint lights.
0:12:56 > 0:12:58They weren't car lights because they weren't bright enough
0:12:58 > 0:13:03so we're just going to try and head across to where the lights came from.
0:13:03 > 0:13:07They use powerful lamps to spot and stun animals
0:13:07 > 0:13:10but it's the air guns and rifles Kevin's concerned about.
0:13:11 > 0:13:16Because it's dark and there is a firearm potentially involved,
0:13:16 > 0:13:19chances are you might get shot,
0:13:19 > 0:13:22although it might be by accident and they might be doing it on purpose
0:13:22 > 0:13:26to try and scare us away so probably look from the outside initially.
0:13:29 > 0:13:33Poachers, above all, like to stay hidden.
0:13:33 > 0:13:36- Is there any cattle in here? - No, there's no cattle.
0:13:36 > 0:13:39You should be able to open the cake and get through the kissing gate.
0:13:41 > 0:13:44This is known locally as Plantation but we're only - what? -
0:13:44 > 0:13:4750 metres away from the houses.
0:13:47 > 0:13:50So if the lads know that there's a deer in the area,
0:13:50 > 0:13:53if they've seen it during the day, they'll come out once it's dark
0:13:53 > 0:13:57with the dogs and try and track it down
0:13:57 > 0:14:03and try and get the dogs to chase it and attack it and bring it down.
0:14:03 > 0:14:07But it is that dark, you can't even see what's about.
0:14:07 > 0:14:10There's no torchlight about so I think they're probably well gone.
0:14:10 > 0:14:13Unfortunately this time we've missed them.
0:14:14 > 0:14:17It's Poachers 1, Coppers 0.
0:14:18 > 0:14:22To be honest, we don't catch as many as we would like.
0:14:22 > 0:14:24But the night is still young.
0:14:35 > 0:14:37On the Helford River estuary in Cornwall,
0:14:37 > 0:14:40air ambulance paramedics are treating 71-year-old Alan
0:14:40 > 0:14:42after a camping accident.
0:14:47 > 0:14:49A gas cylinder has flared up,
0:14:49 > 0:14:52causing severe burns to his face, arms and legs.
0:14:52 > 0:14:54Take some nice, deep breaths for me.
0:14:56 > 0:14:59Air paramedic Mick McLaughlin was first on the scene.
0:14:59 > 0:15:02It became clear quickly with this gentleman that actually this
0:15:02 > 0:15:07is a matter of pain management rather than life-threatening injuries.
0:15:07 > 0:15:11They are the painful burns but they leave the least damage.
0:15:11 > 0:15:16So it's uncomfortable because it exposes nerve endings.
0:15:16 > 0:15:18- So we just wanted control your pain this way.- OK. Yes.
0:15:18 > 0:15:21Gas and air isn't strong enough...
0:15:22 > 0:15:25..so Mick resource to morphine to ease Alan's pain.
0:15:27 > 0:15:29So, if I just take your arm...
0:15:35 > 0:15:37What we'll do, we will give it a few minutes
0:15:37 > 0:15:39because it takes a few minutes to get working,
0:15:39 > 0:15:42and then we can top you up.
0:15:44 > 0:15:49- The morphine takes effect. So they start to move Alan.- Right.
0:15:49 > 0:15:51We'll get you on a stretcher, Alan.
0:15:51 > 0:15:53We are just going to roll you slightly towards me.
0:15:53 > 0:15:56- OK. Roll us up.- There we go.
0:15:56 > 0:15:58We're going to gently lower you back and you'll be slightly offset
0:15:58 > 0:16:02so we're then going to have to slide you over to the middle.
0:16:02 > 0:16:05- That's it. That's it, lovely.- Yeah.
0:16:06 > 0:16:09Right. How is the pain at the moment?
0:16:09 > 0:16:11- Do you need any more? - Not so bad. Not so bad.
0:16:14 > 0:16:18- I'm going to keep asking that same question.- Keep on.
0:16:18 > 0:16:21- Seven to eight.- OK. We'll give you a little bit more.
0:16:26 > 0:16:28Alan, are you feeling cold or is this shivering, do you think,
0:16:28 > 0:16:32- as a result, of sheer terror? - I think it's...
0:16:32 > 0:16:35- No, I don't feel cold actually. I don't feel cold.- OK.
0:16:35 > 0:16:37We'll get you into the warm in a moment.
0:16:37 > 0:16:39We're going round to the far side of the helicopter,
0:16:39 > 0:16:41there's a plinth sticking out the side,
0:16:41 > 0:16:43and we're just going to lift him feet first.
0:16:43 > 0:16:46OK. Ready, set, lift.
0:16:46 > 0:16:48- There we go.- Thank you, everybody.
0:16:59 > 0:17:01So what am I in right now? What is it?
0:17:01 > 0:17:04- It's a EC 135 helicopter.- OK.
0:17:04 > 0:17:07OK, here we go.
0:17:07 > 0:17:10- Cornwall Air Ambulance, we are.- Yeah.
0:17:10 > 0:17:11Here we go.
0:17:12 > 0:17:15We're going to try some IV paracetamol in a minute as well,
0:17:15 > 0:17:17more effective than normal paracetamol.
0:17:17 > 0:17:20Hopefully the two combined will start to kick in your pain.
0:17:20 > 0:17:21We're going to get your blood pressure
0:17:21 > 0:17:23and stuff before we lift and that will help us
0:17:23 > 0:17:26make a decision where we going to land at the hospital.
0:17:26 > 0:17:29'With the treatment of burns, there are a few options -
0:17:29 > 0:17:31'whether to go to the nearest hospital,'
0:17:31 > 0:17:36whether to go to a regional burns unit.
0:17:37 > 0:17:41With the specialist burns unit a 40 minute flight away
0:17:41 > 0:17:45and Alan in so much pain, Mick opts for the much shorter hop
0:17:45 > 0:17:47to the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro.
0:17:49 > 0:17:52Paul, we're just about to lift from scene en route
0:17:52 > 0:17:55to Truro for direct lending. We haven't got a signal down here,
0:17:55 > 0:17:58so if you could pass on the details when you're ready, over.
0:17:58 > 0:18:00Go ahead, over.
0:18:54 > 0:18:57It is quite a scary concept, you know, you can be happily
0:18:57 > 0:18:59camping one minute and then the next minute,
0:18:59 > 0:19:02effectively a small bomb goes off in your face.
0:19:02 > 0:19:05- We're just at the hospital now, Alan, OK?- Yes.
0:19:05 > 0:19:08We're going to be on the ground within one minute.
0:19:08 > 0:19:10Barriers are down.
0:19:10 > 0:19:13We've just taken about seven or eight minutes to get to hospital,
0:19:13 > 0:19:16Alan, and that was probably about a 50 minute journey by road.
0:19:16 > 0:19:17Yes, I appreciate that.
0:19:17 > 0:19:21We've managed to shave off 40 minutes of travelling time there.
0:19:21 > 0:19:23- Thanks for coming.- Not a problem.
0:19:23 > 0:19:25It's a pleasure, it's what we're here for.
0:19:25 > 0:19:28Alan's quickly wheeled into the resuscitation unit.
0:19:29 > 0:19:32He's in the right place for now...
0:19:34 > 0:19:36..but he's not out of the woods yet.
0:19:54 > 0:19:58Windermere in Cumbria has long been the beating heart
0:19:58 > 0:19:59of the Lake District...
0:20:01 > 0:20:05..forever linked to poets and painters stunned by the landscape.
0:20:12 > 0:20:16Over 2,500 boats are moored on Windermere, sharing the lake
0:20:16 > 0:20:19with water sports enthusiasts...
0:20:19 > 0:20:21and the busiest pleasure cruisers
0:20:21 > 0:20:25in England, ferrying around a million and a half visitors a year.
0:20:31 > 0:20:34It's England's biggest, most beautiful lake...
0:20:38 > 0:20:41..but all the activity breeds danger.
0:20:42 > 0:20:47No-one knows this better than the district council's lake wardens.
0:20:47 > 0:20:49Often first on scene,
0:20:49 > 0:20:51they're a vital link to police,
0:20:51 > 0:20:56fire and ambulance services 365 days a year.
0:21:00 > 0:21:03Steve Phelps has been protecting people on
0:21:03 > 0:21:05and around the lake for the past two decades.
0:21:08 > 0:21:11I must admit when I first joined the job it was a case of,
0:21:11 > 0:21:14"Well, it would be great to swan about in summer o a boat and mooch
0:21:14 > 0:21:17"up and down Windermere if there's not a lot to do."
0:21:17 > 0:21:19How wrong can you be, really?
0:21:19 > 0:21:20The job is so diverse,
0:21:20 > 0:21:24you never know what you're going to face from one day to another.
0:21:25 > 0:21:29Just a few minutes into his shift, Steve gets a call.
0:21:30 > 0:21:32I've just a message from the foot passenger ferry
0:21:32 > 0:21:36at Fell Foot down at the south end of the lake.
0:21:36 > 0:21:41There's a 30-foot yacht which was on the jetty that the ferry uses,
0:21:41 > 0:21:43was asked to move, has reversed out from the jetty
0:21:43 > 0:21:46and has now got stuck in the shallows.
0:21:46 > 0:21:49So we've got a 30-foot yacht blocking all the jetties at Fell Foot,
0:21:49 > 0:21:52people on board the yacht, so I'm just going to nip down now
0:21:52 > 0:21:53and find out what the situation is.
0:21:57 > 0:22:00A yacht blocking the jetties won't just play havoc with
0:22:00 > 0:22:04the ferry service, it'll send other traffic off-course
0:22:04 > 0:22:06and into dangerously busy water.
0:22:09 > 0:22:12Normally Fell Foot's quite busy at this time of the year
0:22:12 > 0:22:14so there could be quite a lot of people around down there,
0:22:14 > 0:22:17especially in the water, and we usually get a lot of children
0:22:17 > 0:22:20and things swimming around about that area.
0:22:22 > 0:22:25Steve's boat is capable of up to 40 knots -
0:22:25 > 0:22:27fast enough to get him
0:22:27 > 0:22:30the four miles to Fell Foot in under six minutes.
0:22:31 > 0:22:34You get a great buzz when you get out there -
0:22:34 > 0:22:37big, powerful boat travelling at speed down the lake
0:22:37 > 0:22:41responding to an incident, brain cells are ticking over trying
0:22:41 > 0:22:43to decide what you're going to do when you get there.
0:22:43 > 0:22:48It's putting all that training that you've had into...into practice.
0:22:49 > 0:22:51Over the last five years,
0:22:51 > 0:22:54the wardens have dealt with over 1,100 incidents.
0:22:54 > 0:22:5714 of those were fatalities.
0:23:00 > 0:23:03The problem here seems to have fixed itself.
0:23:10 > 0:23:13OK. As long as you're free and everybody is all right, no injuries.
0:23:19 > 0:23:21Nearly at the end of the season!
0:23:26 > 0:23:27Right, we've...
0:23:27 > 0:23:30We've rescued this lady before.
0:23:30 > 0:23:34She's obviously managed to get it free herself this time.
0:23:41 > 0:23:43End of the day, nobody's injured,
0:23:43 > 0:23:45boat's safe and you've got your jetty back.
0:23:59 > 0:24:01On an average year,
0:24:01 > 0:24:04we have approximately 300 incidents reported on our database.
0:24:06 > 0:24:09That can be anything from noticing that a boat
0:24:09 > 0:24:11is in danger of coming off its mooring
0:24:11 > 0:24:14because the equipment is faulty right the way through to
0:24:14 > 0:24:16full-blown rescues including boat fires
0:24:16 > 0:24:22and people having heart attacks or major medical emergencies on boats.
0:24:25 > 0:24:28It's just a few hours before another call comes in.
0:24:31 > 0:24:34Just had a call that there's been a loud explosion
0:24:34 > 0:24:36and a pillar of black smoke in the north end of the lake
0:24:36 > 0:24:40so we're just going to go out there now and find out what's happening.
0:24:40 > 0:24:42The original call for the incident was that there had been
0:24:42 > 0:24:46a loud explosion and we had no location for this incident.
0:24:46 > 0:24:49We didn't know whether it was on the water on the shoreline.
0:24:49 > 0:24:52The information came from a boat on the other side of the lake,
0:24:52 > 0:24:54so we don't know exactly what's happening
0:24:54 > 0:24:56but I'm going to go and find out now.
0:24:57 > 0:25:01Just going to alert these people that we're on our way through.
0:25:01 > 0:25:03SIREN BLARES
0:25:05 > 0:25:10From over a mile away, Steve sees just how serious this incident is.
0:25:10 > 0:25:13Right in front of us at the moment there's a large plume of dark smoke.
0:25:21 > 0:25:23INDISTINCT VOICE ON RADIO
0:25:23 > 0:25:27Yeah, it's the house just north of Brockhole.
0:25:27 > 0:25:29From what I'm being told by somebody,
0:25:29 > 0:25:31it was caused by a firework display
0:25:31 > 0:25:35but there's a heck of a lot of fire,
0:25:35 > 0:25:38as in flames and black smoke.
0:25:38 > 0:25:40At the moment, there are still fireworks going off.
0:25:40 > 0:25:43I'm not sure whether that's because of the fire
0:25:43 > 0:25:46or whether that's actually part of the plan.
0:25:46 > 0:25:50I'm just going to see if I can land and go and establish what's going on.
0:25:50 > 0:25:54It's a very strange time of day to have a firework display,
0:25:54 > 0:25:56but there again, you never know.
0:25:56 > 0:25:59Just going to see what's happening, but I'm going to...
0:25:59 > 0:26:02I'm going to get off the boat and go and have a look.
0:26:02 > 0:26:07It's clearly not just a fireworks display - this fire is severe.
0:26:07 > 0:26:10- RADIO:- If you do need the fire brigade, just give us a yell.
0:26:13 > 0:26:14Yeah, roger, it's the...
0:26:14 > 0:26:18It's behind the big house that they are building.
0:26:18 > 0:26:20The reason we went as close to the fire as we did was to see
0:26:20 > 0:26:22if there was anybody up there who needed assistance.
0:26:22 > 0:26:25FIREWORKS BANG
0:26:25 > 0:26:26I don't know if you can hear that,
0:26:26 > 0:26:29but that's the fireworks going off again.
0:26:29 > 0:26:30It's a very worrying sight.
0:26:32 > 0:26:35There's a large marquee which I can just see.
0:26:37 > 0:26:40It looks like maybe Fire Brigade are here at the moment.
0:26:44 > 0:26:46Go ahead, Steve.
0:26:46 > 0:26:48Yeah, for info, it is a fire
0:26:48 > 0:26:51and Fire Brigade are already on scene, over.
0:26:51 > 0:26:55Because the professionals are here, there's nothing we can do.
0:26:55 > 0:26:58We're just going to go make our way back to the boat
0:26:58 > 0:27:01then leave the professionals to it. We'll stay out of the way.
0:27:03 > 0:27:07This could well be a wedding party gone wrong.
0:27:07 > 0:27:11It seems like the fire service are now getting it under control.
0:27:13 > 0:27:17Five firefighting crews fought the blaze for over four hours, one of
0:27:17 > 0:27:22the worst ever seen on the shores of Windermere, and it ended in tragedy.
0:27:23 > 0:27:26- NEWSREADER:- The police and fire service were called to the fire
0:27:26 > 0:27:28in the grounds of a large house in Ecclerigg
0:27:28 > 0:27:31just after 3:30 yesterday afternoon.
0:27:31 > 0:27:34Two bodies, thought to be those of a man and a woman, were found.
0:27:34 > 0:27:38In a shed containing fireworks. Emergency services were called.
0:27:38 > 0:27:41The flames were ferocious and according to those who
0:27:41 > 0:27:44witnessed the scene, the explosions were deafening.
0:27:44 > 0:27:46And when the flames were extinguished,
0:27:46 > 0:27:49this was the scene of devastation -
0:27:49 > 0:27:52the shed that had been used to store fireworks reduced to ash.
0:27:59 > 0:28:00The next day,
0:28:00 > 0:28:03Steve is patrolling the approach to the scene of the blaze.
0:28:08 > 0:28:10Since we attended here yesterday,
0:28:10 > 0:28:13we've had it confirmed that unfortunately
0:28:13 > 0:28:16two people lost their lives in the explosion
0:28:16 > 0:28:19and the subsequent fire yesterday.
0:28:19 > 0:28:22It's one male and one female.
0:28:22 > 0:28:23It's a tragedy.
0:28:23 > 0:28:28Yesterday, somebody came to work and hadn't gone home yesterday evening.
0:28:30 > 0:28:33Obviously something like that happens and you spend a little
0:28:33 > 0:28:37bit of time thinking about things and in reflection,
0:28:37 > 0:28:41it's nothing that we could have done to avoid that situation.
0:28:41 > 0:28:45There was nothing that we could do to help the situation when we got there.
0:28:45 > 0:28:49The unfortunate thing is that somebody's sadly lost their life.
0:28:50 > 0:28:53We're all human and it does make you realise that we're all
0:28:53 > 0:28:56vulnerable to things that can happen that are beyond our control.
0:29:09 > 0:29:15In County Durham, PC Kevin Hall and team are out late hunting poachers.
0:29:15 > 0:29:18It's that dark you can't even see what's...what's about.
0:29:18 > 0:29:22There's no torch light around so I think they've probably well gone.
0:29:22 > 0:29:25So far, the poachers are winning.
0:29:25 > 0:29:30We're trying to get the poachers stopped where we can,
0:29:30 > 0:29:33operations like this when we come out and about.
0:29:33 > 0:29:38But they're on the tail of three suspicious men with dogs.
0:29:38 > 0:29:41What we could find is just a car parked up in one of the lay-bys
0:29:41 > 0:29:46and then people are off in the field doing...
0:29:46 > 0:29:49committing poaching offences and they've tucked their car
0:29:49 > 0:29:53into some lay-by hoping it's not going to be spotted.
0:29:53 > 0:29:56Though it's not only poachers who skulk around at night.
0:29:58 > 0:30:01Especially in the picnic area car park,
0:30:01 > 0:30:06you quite often come across courting couples of some description or other.
0:30:09 > 0:30:12So yeah, that can be a bit of an embarrassing moment,
0:30:12 > 0:30:15but I'm sure they're more embarrassed than we are.
0:30:15 > 0:30:18But it's someone else's night that's about to be spoiled.
0:30:18 > 0:30:21One of the other patrol cars has called in.
0:30:21 > 0:30:25One of the officers just shouted up saying that he's stopped
0:30:25 > 0:30:28a blue transit van with some males in and dogs.
0:30:30 > 0:30:32It's ten to one in the morning.
0:30:32 > 0:30:35PC Russ Booth is questioning the suspects.
0:30:37 > 0:30:41I saw an unmarked vehicle with three young lads sat in the front.
0:30:41 > 0:30:44Immediately, that arouses my suspicion -
0:30:44 > 0:30:48what are they doing in the area at this time of night?
0:30:48 > 0:30:51They have three lurcher dogs in the van.
0:30:51 > 0:30:55Originally bred for hunting, they're a popular choice for poachers.
0:30:55 > 0:31:00- They all right, the dogs? - Mind stepping out the light?
0:31:00 > 0:31:02Just watch it, like.
0:31:02 > 0:31:05So you just drive a bit with your dogs and the van? Looking for what?
0:31:05 > 0:31:08Somewhere to walk.
0:31:08 > 0:31:11- Somewhere to walk?- Actually, we haven't been anywhere proper,
0:31:11 > 0:31:13like, we've just been driving around.
0:31:13 > 0:31:17Most poachers are prosecuted for trespassing in the pursuit
0:31:17 > 0:31:20of game, so these lads are keen to point out that they haven't been
0:31:20 > 0:31:22on anyone's land.
0:31:23 > 0:31:25I believe you've probably been on land
0:31:25 > 0:31:27or that you were going to be going on land,
0:31:27 > 0:31:31and let the dogs off to catch whatever they come across, right?
0:31:33 > 0:31:36We'll be submitting some intelligence to that effect,
0:31:36 > 0:31:39that that's what you were doing.
0:31:39 > 0:31:42Kevin is looking for evidence of poaching.
0:31:42 > 0:31:44You got any lamps or owt on you?
0:31:45 > 0:31:46No?
0:31:48 > 0:31:51- You got owt in your pocket?- No.
0:31:51 > 0:31:53Keys, phone.
0:31:53 > 0:31:55What's in the front of the vehicle, owt?
0:31:55 > 0:31:59Up front, Kevin discovers two suspicious handheld lights.
0:31:59 > 0:32:04These are for poaching, for lamping...
0:32:04 > 0:32:07Lamping anything from foxes, deers, rabbit, hares...
0:32:08 > 0:32:12Which are obviously high-powered, so they can either shine them
0:32:12 > 0:32:16from the fan or they'll just walk through the fields and shine them
0:32:16 > 0:32:20at any animals that come around and then they'll...
0:32:20 > 0:32:25Once they've been gazed, the animals in the light of the torch,
0:32:25 > 0:32:28then they'll set the dogs on them and the dogs
0:32:28 > 0:32:30will chase it and hunt it down.
0:32:30 > 0:32:33Looks like the evidence is piling up.
0:32:33 > 0:32:36- So you've been out poaching then? - No, just been for a walk.
0:32:36 > 0:32:39Next, they find a dead rabbit in the back of the van.
0:32:40 > 0:32:44So you cannot, you cannot say where that rabbit came from?
0:32:44 > 0:32:47- Yeah, just the park up there. - So how did you catch it?
0:32:47 > 0:32:49- Dog.- Right.
0:32:49 > 0:32:53- I wasn't going to catch it, but he ran down with it, like.- Right.
0:32:53 > 0:32:57This lad has just admitted to catching a rabbit with his dog.
0:32:57 > 0:33:01Unfortunately for him, that's been against the law since 1828.
0:33:03 > 0:33:05So that's committing an offence.
0:33:05 > 0:33:09Yeah? Committing poaching offences, allowing your dogs to chase a rabbit.
0:33:09 > 0:33:12- In a public park? Is that classed as poaching?- Yeah.
0:33:12 > 0:33:16You're not allowed... Your dog... It's an offence to hunt with dogs.
0:33:16 > 0:33:19You haven't got permission from the landowner,
0:33:19 > 0:33:21whether that's a public park and it's Durham County Council
0:33:21 > 0:33:25or it's private, so you are committing offences there.
0:33:27 > 0:33:31Even you're not caught red-handed, if there's evidence that you've been
0:33:31 > 0:33:35on public or private land with dogs and guns or lamps,
0:33:35 > 0:33:37you can be nicked.
0:33:37 > 0:33:39What I'll do is, I'm going to seize that lamp
0:33:39 > 0:33:41with that battery.
0:33:41 > 0:33:44I could seize your dogs, I could seize your van, but I'm not,
0:33:44 > 0:33:46but I'm going to summon you all to court,
0:33:46 > 0:33:49so you'll get summons for poaching offences.
0:33:49 > 0:33:51It's not actually an offence under the Hunting Act...
0:33:51 > 0:33:54- But I haven't been caught in the field.- Doesn't matter.
0:33:54 > 0:33:56I don't need... Doesn't matter.
0:33:56 > 0:33:59You've got your dogs, you've got your lumps and you've got a rabbit.
0:33:59 > 0:34:01Can I ask a question?
0:34:01 > 0:34:05- Is there anyway to get the lamps and packs back?- Once it's been to court.
0:34:05 > 0:34:08'Whenever you stop anybody, you're always seeing that person
0:34:08 > 0:34:11'as someone you don't know and you don't know what they're capable of,
0:34:11 > 0:34:14'and if it comes to the stage where you have got to lay hands on
0:34:14 > 0:34:16'and you've got to arrest that person,
0:34:16 > 0:34:18'generally for me, I like to think that I can use my voice,'
0:34:18 > 0:34:22talk to the people, keep the situation calm
0:34:22 > 0:34:26and deal with them in a safe manner.
0:34:26 > 0:34:28I'm going to take the battery, right?
0:34:28 > 0:34:31This cost me a fortune, I worked hard for this...
0:34:31 > 0:34:33I'm going to take your battery, I'm seizing your battery, right?
0:34:33 > 0:34:37Honest to God, I paid loads of money for this, do you know what I mean?
0:34:37 > 0:34:38Take your hand...
0:34:38 > 0:34:41It's either that or you're going to end up getting locked up.
0:34:41 > 0:34:44I'd rather be locked up, I'm telling you now.
0:34:44 > 0:34:46Right, well, I'm taking it, right?
0:34:46 > 0:34:49- Move your hand.- Just keep calm, mate.
0:34:49 > 0:34:51I spent loads of money, I worked hard for that,
0:34:51 > 0:34:52do you know what I mean?
0:34:52 > 0:34:55Other people don't work nowadays, do you know what I mean?
0:34:55 > 0:34:56'Some incidents, it becomes'
0:34:56 > 0:34:58a bit of a scuffle,
0:34:58 > 0:35:01and that's a situation we're always trying to avoid
0:35:01 > 0:35:03because I am going to get hurt and they're going to get hurt.
0:35:03 > 0:35:06If you're going out and committing offences, you know the consequences.
0:35:06 > 0:35:09If you get stopped, you're going to end up getting done.
0:35:09 > 0:35:12- You can't take that out on us. - Why not? I'm asking you a question.
0:35:12 > 0:35:13So if that was you...
0:35:13 > 0:35:16If your hobby is a criminal offence,
0:35:16 > 0:35:19how can you get upset by it if you get caught?
0:35:19 > 0:35:23But this lad's still not happy. He wants to call his dad.
0:35:23 > 0:35:25He's not going to give us it back though,
0:35:25 > 0:35:28that's what he's saying, do you know what I mean?
0:35:28 > 0:35:31'It got to the point when he phoned his dad to basically say,'
0:35:31 > 0:35:33"Dad, the police have taken me lamps,"
0:35:33 > 0:35:36and his dad's tried to convince me to give them back.
0:35:36 > 0:35:40We could actually seize the van and the dogs,
0:35:40 > 0:35:44and they could all get locked up for the night.
0:35:44 > 0:35:46As it goes at the minute, we've seized the lamps.
0:35:46 > 0:35:49There's two lamps here and two battery packs and that's...
0:35:49 > 0:35:51and the three dogs and one dead rabbit.
0:35:54 > 0:35:57As well as the dead rabbit,
0:35:57 > 0:36:01the time of night they were out allegedly walking the lurchers
0:36:01 > 0:36:07and the lamps, the boys' clothes are also a bit of a giveaway.
0:36:07 > 0:36:09They're all wearing camouflage clothing.
0:36:09 > 0:36:13I mean, from the hats, jackets and trousers and even boots,
0:36:13 > 0:36:16they had every aspect of a poacher as you would write it.
0:36:16 > 0:36:19Unfortunately for them, they were stopped on the night.
0:36:19 > 0:36:22How long's this going to take, like, to process it?
0:36:22 > 0:36:26- It's going to be at least a month. - At least a month?
0:36:26 > 0:36:28'The young lad didn't like it one little bit
0:36:28 > 0:36:30'that we took his equipment off him.'
0:36:30 > 0:36:33That's a perfect example of how actually taking equipment
0:36:33 > 0:36:37off people, whether that would be a lamp, a dog, a car,
0:36:37 > 0:36:40is more upsetting to them than actually being caught
0:36:40 > 0:36:43for the offence that they've been caught committing.
0:36:43 > 0:36:46It was a game of two halves, but the coppers took the night.
0:36:47 > 0:36:50I might get them a can of Coke when we get back to the nick.
0:36:50 > 0:36:53It has to be diet, though, because Russ is on a diet.
0:36:55 > 0:36:57It is a bit of a humorous story when you think about it, right?
0:36:57 > 0:37:00"I'm going to catch a poacher tonight," and we actually
0:37:00 > 0:37:03catch one and it's all boxed off at the end of it, it was a good result.
0:37:18 > 0:37:22In Cornwall, a camping gas cylinder flared up causing severe,
0:37:22 > 0:37:25painful burns to holidaymaker Alan's body and face.
0:37:26 > 0:37:29The Air Ambulance took eight minutes to get him
0:37:29 > 0:37:31to the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro.
0:37:37 > 0:37:41He's had 10 milligrams of morphine and one gram of IV paracetamol.
0:37:41 > 0:37:42Heart rate, 86.
0:37:42 > 0:37:45BP's been fairly consistent - 165 over 96...
0:37:52 > 0:37:54We'll do bloods, check the thickness of the burns.
0:37:54 > 0:37:57That will be mapped onto a piece of paper and then we'll...
0:37:57 > 0:38:00In consultation with Bristol as to whether he needs
0:38:00 > 0:38:02to go further intervention in Bristol or whether
0:38:02 > 0:38:05he can stay here and come back as an outpatient.
0:38:37 > 0:38:41Seven weeks later, Alan's back home in Farnham.
0:38:41 > 0:38:45He's recovered enough to reflect on what happened that horrific day.
0:38:48 > 0:38:53- I gather a gas cylinder exploded? - Gas cylinder.- OK.
0:38:53 > 0:38:59I don't think I could feel any pain until I was lying there.
0:39:01 > 0:39:06I think the adrenaline kicked in the moment that it flashed.
0:39:06 > 0:39:08There are no burns where the clothes were.
0:39:08 > 0:39:11My glasses clearly protect my eyes.
0:39:11 > 0:39:14Cos I lost all the skin around the forehead,
0:39:14 > 0:39:16all the way down the side here, all the way around here.
0:39:20 > 0:39:23And I was being repeatedly asked where
0:39:23 > 0:39:27I felt in terms of the pain threshold.
0:39:27 > 0:39:29That's the thing that stands out in my mind.
0:39:29 > 0:39:33Still about seven or eight out of ten or has it changed at all?
0:39:33 > 0:39:36- At least seven to eight.- OK.
0:39:36 > 0:39:42And very quickly wheeled on the stretcher
0:39:42 > 0:39:44into the A&E department.
0:39:44 > 0:39:49They very rapidly concluded that I really needed to go
0:39:49 > 0:39:52to the nearest burns unit at Plymouth hospital.
0:39:53 > 0:39:59Once I was with the specialist team at Plymouth, their assessment
0:39:59 > 0:40:05essentially was that I had 17 serious spot burns
0:40:05 > 0:40:10spread across my arms, face and legs
0:40:10 > 0:40:16and everywhere else, there was a surface burn.
0:40:19 > 0:40:23Alan spent just two days at Derriford Hospital in Plymouth
0:40:23 > 0:40:27before being let home and treated as an outpatient by his GP.
0:40:29 > 0:40:33Thankfully, he didn't need any skin grafts and he's well on the mend.
0:40:36 > 0:40:41Given this is all natural healing recovery, it's pretty impressive.
0:40:45 > 0:40:49Alan's had a lot of time to figure out exactly what went wrong...
0:40:50 > 0:40:52..and now he feels strong enough to explain.
0:40:54 > 0:40:56Apparently that is the first time
0:40:56 > 0:40:59that I've actually seen this equipment since the accident.
0:41:00 > 0:41:03I'm shaking now, so I am nervous.
0:41:04 > 0:41:08The sequence that I went through essentially was to...
0:41:09 > 0:41:12..check that the...
0:41:12 > 0:41:14cylinder was closed.
0:41:14 > 0:41:16Can't move it, so it must be off.
0:41:18 > 0:41:21I do have quite severe arthritis in my hands
0:41:21 > 0:41:23and find it difficult to grip things.
0:41:25 > 0:41:28Alan's an experienced camper.
0:41:28 > 0:41:30He thought he'd closed the gas off
0:41:30 > 0:41:35but due to his arthritis, he hadn't turned the screw valve fully shut.
0:41:35 > 0:41:36It had stuck.
0:41:36 > 0:41:39With the fridge pilot light still burning,
0:41:39 > 0:41:40he disconnected the gas pipe.
0:41:42 > 0:41:45Suddenly there was this massive escape.
0:41:45 > 0:41:47Flash - suddenly it all happened.
0:41:50 > 0:41:53It's the speed of response, this is really what it's all about.
0:41:54 > 0:41:58The role of the Air Ambulance - absolutely vital.
0:41:58 > 0:42:02You know, the teams that work there, they're all dedicated - the air crews
0:42:02 > 0:42:06themselves, the medics that go with them...
0:42:06 > 0:42:09Obviously I can't speak too highly of them.
0:42:10 > 0:42:12I do lie awake...
0:42:14 > 0:42:17..occasionally and it comes to mind.
0:42:19 > 0:42:21Still annoyed that I can make this mistake.
0:42:21 > 0:42:25You feel annoyed with yourself when silly things happen.
0:42:25 > 0:42:26That's life, isn't it?
0:42:37 > 0:42:41It's been all go for the emergency services of rural Britain.
0:42:43 > 0:42:46Windermere's lake wardens had a busy summer
0:42:46 > 0:42:48keeping over a million tourists safe.
0:42:51 > 0:42:54The three lads caught by Kevin Hall and his team
0:42:54 > 0:42:57were given police cautions for the offence of night poaching.
0:42:58 > 0:43:01Alan's burns have completely healed,
0:43:01 > 0:43:03and next summer, he'll be going on holiday with his friends
0:43:03 > 0:43:06and family, tents...
0:43:06 > 0:43:08and a new health and safety checklist.
0:43:09 > 0:43:12And you thought it was quiet in the countryside!