0:00:02 > 0:00:05From the Highlands of Scotland to the coast of Cornwall...
0:00:06 > 0:00:09..the 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 > 0:00:25This chap is having a heart attack and we need to get him in quickly.
0:00:26 > 0:00:30You're under arrest for failing to stop for police.
0:00:30 > 0:00:33Going hundreds of miles against the clock,
0:00:33 > 0:00:36battling the elements and braving the weather.
0:00:38 > 0:00:40- OVER RADIO:- 'Lower the winch.'
0:00:40 > 0:00:43From fields and forests
0:00:43 > 0:00:45to cliffs and country roads,
0:00:45 > 0:00:49we'll be right at the heart of the action.
0:00:49 > 0:00:51With police, fighting crime...
0:00:51 > 0:00:55I've got suspicions that there might be cannabis being used.
0:00:55 > 0:00:57..paramedics saving lives...
0:00:59 > 0:01:02..and wardens safeguarding our lakes.
0:01:02 > 0:01:03Get out of the way!
0:01:04 > 0:01:08We're there as the emergency services pull together to
0:01:08 > 0:01:11pick up, patch up and protect the public.
0:01:13 > 0:01:15This is Countryside 999.
0:01:34 > 0:01:36Coming up...
0:01:36 > 0:01:39Every minute counts for Cornwall's air ambulance
0:01:39 > 0:01:41as a life hangs in the balance.
0:01:41 > 0:01:44Can you feel me touching this hand?
0:01:44 > 0:01:47Paramedics on the Isle of Man try to solve a medical mystery...
0:01:49 > 0:01:50Just painful?
0:01:52 > 0:01:53..and the bobbies of South Warwickshire
0:01:53 > 0:01:55crack down on dangerous driving...
0:01:55 > 0:01:58Have you got your driving licence with you?
0:01:58 > 0:02:00..finding no shortage of culprits.
0:02:00 > 0:02:03Based on the status of the tax and the status of the vehicle
0:02:03 > 0:02:07at the moment, the vehicle's going to have to be seized.
0:02:11 > 0:02:13Cornwall.
0:02:13 > 0:02:15Famous for its sandy beaches...
0:02:17 > 0:02:19..wild moorlands...
0:02:21 > 0:02:23..and rugged peninsula.
0:02:23 > 0:02:26Every year, more than 4.5 million tourists
0:02:26 > 0:02:29descend on this spectacular part of the country,
0:02:29 > 0:02:31making its roads highly congested.
0:02:36 > 0:02:38So, when lives hang in the balance,
0:02:38 > 0:02:43the fastest way to give people the medical attention they need
0:02:43 > 0:02:44is by air ambulance.
0:02:46 > 0:02:50For the ambulance service as a whole, the workload significantly increases.
0:02:50 > 0:02:54We're only served by one major hospital in Truro, in Cornwall,
0:02:54 > 0:02:57which has a trauma unit with an emergency department there.
0:02:59 > 0:03:02There are lots of places where it's up to 60-70 minutes by road,
0:03:02 > 0:03:05and these sort of times can increase in the summer months
0:03:05 > 0:03:08with the volume of traffic that's on the roads.
0:03:11 > 0:03:16Every year, the men and women of Cornwall Air Ambulance
0:03:16 > 0:03:19fly over 700 rescue missions.
0:03:19 > 0:03:22Their average response time is just 12 minutes.
0:03:28 > 0:03:30Today, a call's come in.
0:03:31 > 0:03:34A holiday-maker in his 60s is displaying all
0:03:34 > 0:03:36the symptoms of a severe stroke.
0:03:36 > 0:03:37Thanks, bye.
0:03:45 > 0:03:50- RADIO:- 'Airfield at Newquay, hello, basic service, 1015.'
0:03:50 > 0:03:53'We are ten minutes out, Steve.'
0:03:53 > 0:03:56Coming to the man's rescue are pilot Doug Pye...
0:03:56 > 0:03:58'Tango 1015.'
0:03:58 > 0:04:00..paramedic Paul Symonds,
0:04:00 > 0:04:03and operations officer Steve Garvey.
0:04:27 > 0:04:30From their base at Cornwall's Newquay Airport,
0:04:30 > 0:04:33Steve and the crew are flying 25 miles
0:04:33 > 0:04:35to St Keverne on the Lizard Peninsula.
0:05:01 > 0:05:02And every moment counts.
0:05:04 > 0:05:07Almost two million of the brain's nerve endings are destroyed
0:05:07 > 0:05:09each minute after a stroke,
0:05:09 > 0:05:11often affecting speech, vision and mobility.
0:05:14 > 0:05:16'7050, receiving.'
0:05:16 > 0:05:18RADIO:
0:05:33 > 0:05:37The immediate problem is where to land.
0:05:40 > 0:05:43This particular incident was in a small village in a bit of a valley.
0:05:43 > 0:05:46So we wanted to get as close to him as possible.
0:05:49 > 0:05:51The best landing site we identified as we went
0:05:51 > 0:05:54into an orbit was the beach near to their holiday cottage.
0:05:54 > 0:05:57'We may kick up a little bit of dust, just from the high-tide line.'
0:05:57 > 0:06:00But a beach landing isn't without its hazards.
0:06:07 > 0:06:11Fortunately for the gentleman, it was low tide
0:06:11 > 0:06:14and we were able to select a suitable site on a rocky beach
0:06:14 > 0:06:17and land well above the high-tide mark.
0:06:18 > 0:06:20Once on the ground,
0:06:20 > 0:06:23Doug keeps the engine running in case a fast takeoff is needed.
0:06:25 > 0:06:27Steve heads straight to his patient.
0:06:39 > 0:06:40A few hours earlier,
0:06:40 > 0:06:43David had complained to partner Sandra of a headache.
0:06:45 > 0:06:48Within minutes, the pain was excruciating.
0:07:21 > 0:07:25Initially, his headache was put down to potentially a migraine or
0:07:25 > 0:07:27just a generalised headache
0:07:27 > 0:07:32and they'd correctly given him some analgesia for the headache.
0:07:32 > 0:07:33When things weren't improving
0:07:33 > 0:07:36and he seemed to take a turn for the worse
0:07:36 > 0:07:39and had a little collapse, they phoned 999 straight away.
0:07:41 > 0:07:44Steve's first priority is to test for signs of a stroke.
0:07:46 > 0:07:49Dave, can I just drill you down on your headache a little bit?
0:07:49 > 0:07:52Do you know where it seemed to originate from?
0:07:52 > 0:07:54Just seems in the head.
0:07:54 > 0:07:56In your head. Is that generalised all over,
0:07:56 > 0:07:59or is it the front, the back, any one side?
0:08:00 > 0:08:02In my head, it's quite...
0:08:06 > 0:08:08I'm going...
0:08:10 > 0:08:13There are various assessment processes and tools we can use
0:08:13 > 0:08:15when trying to determine if someone's had a stroke,
0:08:15 > 0:08:18one of these being a fast test.
0:08:18 > 0:08:19Dave, can you just give me a big smile?
0:08:19 > 0:08:23You might not feel like it at the minute. Big grimace, big smile?
0:08:23 > 0:08:26So I was asking him if he could smile, getting him to speak
0:08:26 > 0:08:28so I could try and assess whether his speech was slurred
0:08:28 > 0:08:29or normal for him,
0:08:29 > 0:08:33seeing if there was any facial weakness in the facial muscles.
0:08:33 > 0:08:36David's responses mean a stroke is highly likely.
0:08:38 > 0:08:42Did it affect your vision? Is it still affecting your vision at all?
0:08:52 > 0:08:55For every minute David's brain was starved of oxygen,
0:08:55 > 0:08:57it will have aged three weeks.
0:09:02 > 0:09:06His chances of recovery depend on just one thing -
0:09:06 > 0:09:09how quickly Steve gets him the treatment he needs.
0:09:26 > 0:09:30South Warwickshire, in England's West Midlands.
0:09:30 > 0:09:32Otherwise known as Shakespeare's County.
0:09:34 > 0:09:38Here, rolling hills and beautiful vistas are dotted with more
0:09:38 > 0:09:40than 50 small villages and hamlets.
0:09:45 > 0:09:50It's the biggest rural area of Warwickshire, it's 150 square miles.
0:09:50 > 0:09:54PC Craig Purcell's been in the force for 11 years
0:09:54 > 0:09:56and now he leads the Safer Neighbourhood team
0:09:56 > 0:09:59in Shipston-on-Stour.
0:09:59 > 0:10:02There are a few main arterial routes through the area.
0:10:02 > 0:10:04We've got the main Fosse Way coming through -
0:10:04 > 0:10:07a lot of traffic flows straight through and doesn't stop.
0:10:07 > 0:10:10It's also, unfortunately, because of that,
0:10:10 > 0:10:12a route that criminals come through
0:10:12 > 0:10:15and will pop off into the villages and towns.
0:10:15 > 0:10:19So it's important that we're out and being seen to deter the crime
0:10:19 > 0:10:22that's going on in the area, and also trying to catch the baddies.
0:10:24 > 0:10:27Craig and his team must respond to every incident,
0:10:27 > 0:10:28no matter how big...
0:10:28 > 0:10:29That's him.
0:10:31 > 0:10:33You're under arrest for failing to stop for police!
0:10:33 > 0:10:36- ..or how small... - I saw a squashed hedgehog.
0:10:36 > 0:10:39..though much of his time is dedicated to preventative policing.
0:10:39 > 0:10:42We don't have too many rogues that actually live
0:10:42 > 0:10:44within the 150 square miles, thankfully,
0:10:44 > 0:10:46which means a lot of them are travelling through.
0:10:46 > 0:10:48To travel through and to get away from,
0:10:48 > 0:10:50once they've committed the crime, this rural area,
0:10:50 > 0:10:53they need a vehicle, so my style of policing is to get out there
0:10:53 > 0:10:55and look at vehicles, basically.
0:10:55 > 0:10:57More often than not, it leads to other things.
0:11:03 > 0:11:06Today, Craig is conducting random checks of motorists,
0:11:06 > 0:11:09starting at one of his favourite vantage points.
0:11:09 > 0:11:12This is a nice spot where two roads intersect. Two of our main A roads.
0:11:12 > 0:11:13So we can sit up here
0:11:13 > 0:11:16and just look for any vehicles that might be travelling through.
0:11:16 > 0:11:20Have a look at the driver, check it on the Police National Computer
0:11:20 > 0:11:23and see if there's anything we might need to stop it for.
0:11:23 > 0:11:27Heading along the A3400 towards the village of Alderminster,
0:11:27 > 0:11:30it doesn't take Craig long to spot his next appointment.
0:11:33 > 0:11:36We ran it through the computer and it was notified off-road,
0:11:36 > 0:11:38so somebody's advised the DVLA
0:11:38 > 0:11:41that the vehicle shouldn't be on the road at the moment.
0:11:49 > 0:11:52- Hello.- Hi! - You hat's better than mine!
0:11:52 > 0:11:55It's nothing to worry about. As your vehicle's come past,
0:11:55 > 0:11:57I've checked it through the Police National Computer
0:11:57 > 0:11:59and it's coming up as notified off-road,
0:11:59 > 0:12:01meaning that somebody's advised the DVLA
0:12:01 > 0:12:04that it shouldn't be on the road at the moment.
0:12:06 > 0:12:09- OK. So just go around onto the pavement.- Yeah, sure.
0:12:09 > 0:12:12Who bought the car?
0:12:12 > 0:12:14Okey dokey. It's in your name.
0:12:14 > 0:12:16And who sorted out the insurance for it?
0:12:18 > 0:12:22OK. Have you got your driving licence with you at the moment?
0:12:22 > 0:12:25But it's registered to you?
0:12:25 > 0:12:27When the lady got out of the car and I started talking to her,
0:12:27 > 0:12:29I could see that she had a...
0:12:29 > 0:12:32flamboyant, I suppose would be the word, hat on.
0:12:32 > 0:12:36She at some point mentioned that she was Wiccan, a witch of some sort.
0:12:36 > 0:12:39I'm not sure on the exact terminology for it,
0:12:39 > 0:12:41I believe she said the word witch.
0:12:42 > 0:12:46And today, she's headed for toil and trouble.
0:12:48 > 0:12:51Your licence is listed as expired at the moment.
0:12:53 > 0:12:56And to make matters worse, it expired 11 years ago.
0:12:58 > 0:13:01Way back. 2004.
0:13:01 > 0:13:04You were disqualified from driving for totting up,
0:13:04 > 0:13:05or something like that, was it?
0:13:05 > 0:13:06No?
0:13:08 > 0:13:12We've got you disqualified until the 7th of October 2004 for...
0:13:12 > 0:13:16It doesn't explain the reason for it.
0:13:16 > 0:13:20Have you got a photograph licence or an old one, paper one?
0:13:20 > 0:13:22No photograph card?
0:13:25 > 0:13:28Her driving licence had been revoked just over ten years ago,
0:13:28 > 0:13:3011 years ago.
0:13:30 > 0:13:33She had been driving around all that time, from what she said to me,
0:13:33 > 0:13:36having not been stopped by police.
0:13:36 > 0:13:39And then I come along in little rural Alderminster,
0:13:39 > 0:13:42get her vehicle stopped, and she finds out she's got quite
0:13:42 > 0:13:45a major problem because she can't drive the vehicle.
0:13:45 > 0:13:49Turns out the driver's moved house and failed to inform the DVLA.
0:13:49 > 0:13:52In itself, a potential £1,000 fine.
0:13:53 > 0:13:57If there's an issue with your driving licence, or if you've...
0:13:57 > 0:14:00If there are any points or something
0:14:00 > 0:14:03and the DVLA were trying to get in contact with you,
0:14:03 > 0:14:05they would write to you at your current driving licence address.
0:14:05 > 0:14:08Would anybody be able to get in contact with you there, at that address?
0:14:08 > 0:14:11If letters went there, would a family member forward them
0:14:11 > 0:14:13on to you or anything like that?
0:14:13 > 0:14:16Let me have a look and see why...
0:14:16 > 0:14:20But the disqualification happened so long ago,
0:14:20 > 0:14:22Craig can't find a reason on record.
0:14:24 > 0:14:28According to this, you haven't had a driving licence since 2004.
0:14:28 > 0:14:32Given the circumstances, the fact that she wasn't a criminal,
0:14:32 > 0:14:34she wasn't out using the vehicle to commit offences,
0:14:34 > 0:14:38I do believe that it was a genuine mistake on her part,
0:14:38 > 0:14:40albeit an 11-year mistake.
0:14:40 > 0:14:43With no tax and no licence,
0:14:43 > 0:14:47this driver faces potential penalties of over £1,000.
0:14:49 > 0:14:52And Craig could seize her vehicle as well.
0:14:52 > 0:14:55Fortunately, he's in a compassionate mood.
0:14:55 > 0:14:57She seems quite genuine.
0:14:57 > 0:15:00I don't think she's going to get in the car after what she's discovered.
0:15:00 > 0:15:02I do think she's genuinely just discovered the issue
0:15:02 > 0:15:05with the tax and her driving licence.
0:15:05 > 0:15:07It's very rare. The fact that it's 2004,
0:15:07 > 0:15:10she's been driving around effectively since 2004...
0:15:10 > 0:15:13You've got to be a specific type of person to do that on purpose,
0:15:13 > 0:15:15so it seems very genuine.
0:15:15 > 0:15:17But while she can hang onto the car,
0:15:17 > 0:15:20she's not allowed to drive it home.
0:15:20 > 0:15:22Basically, my husband's going to come and fetch me.
0:15:24 > 0:15:28It's a day this motorist won't forget in a hurry.
0:15:28 > 0:15:31It's been a bit of a shock, to be honest.
0:15:31 > 0:15:36I've been driving for ten years with no licence, by the sound of it!
0:15:36 > 0:15:40Which is... I didn't know!
0:15:40 > 0:15:45If you haven't updated your driving licence address or vehicle address,
0:15:45 > 0:15:49you may never know that points, fines, disqualifications,
0:15:49 > 0:15:52things like that have been issued, and that can have
0:15:52 > 0:15:57a severe impact when you are finally stopped by me or other officers.
0:15:57 > 0:16:00If it's at that point you find that there's an issue
0:16:00 > 0:16:02with your driving licence, it's too late by then.
0:16:09 > 0:16:13More then 260 miles southwest of Warwickshire
0:16:13 > 0:16:16on Cornwall's Lizard Peninsula,
0:16:16 > 0:16:20it's suspected 63-year-old David is having a stroke.
0:16:28 > 0:16:32Air ambulance paramedic Steve Garvey is completing his assessment.
0:16:32 > 0:16:34Dave, with what's occurred this morning,
0:16:34 > 0:16:36we want to take you up to the local hospital.
0:16:36 > 0:16:38I'm numb in my right-hand side.
0:16:38 > 0:16:39You know that you're not right.
0:16:41 > 0:16:45For David's partner Sandra, it's her worst fear come true.
0:16:45 > 0:16:47I was panicking,
0:16:47 > 0:16:51because he was shouting that he'd lost the use on one side
0:16:51 > 0:16:53and I was thinking, "It's a stroke.
0:16:53 > 0:16:56"It's a stroke, what's going to happen next?"
0:16:56 > 0:17:01I knew we'd got to get him medical attention as fast as possible.
0:17:03 > 0:17:05We were in a tiny, remote area,
0:17:05 > 0:17:09I was really scared how long it was going to take.
0:17:09 > 0:17:14I was just so worried that this could be something that would kill him,
0:17:14 > 0:17:19because you do hear of people having strokes and dying immediately.
0:17:22 > 0:17:26Steve needs to get David to hospital, fast.
0:17:26 > 0:17:29We've formulated a little plan.
0:17:29 > 0:17:32We've got a little chair for you to sit on, mate,
0:17:32 > 0:17:34and we're going to take you out to the helicopter.
0:17:36 > 0:17:39The patient was presenting with a slight weakness
0:17:39 > 0:17:41down his right-hand side,
0:17:41 > 0:17:45which could've potentially pointed towards a stroke, in this case.
0:17:45 > 0:17:49More alarmingly, David's symptoms suggest a bleed in his brain -
0:17:49 > 0:17:51the most serious type of stroke.
0:17:51 > 0:17:53Ready, set, lift.
0:17:53 > 0:17:58Either way, it's rapid transfer to hospital and CT scanning.
0:17:59 > 0:18:03Only a scan will confirm if David has a bleed or a blood clot.
0:18:03 > 0:18:05But with no space in the chopper,
0:18:05 > 0:18:09Sandra will have to make the 26-mile journey by road.
0:18:09 > 0:18:13- I'm going to get the car ready.- OK. - And I'll see you in a bit.
0:18:13 > 0:18:16I wasn't sure at that point how much he understood what was happening
0:18:16 > 0:18:19because, obviously, he was panicking
0:18:19 > 0:18:22and had been very distressed about what had happened to him,
0:18:22 > 0:18:24and I just wanted to be with him.
0:18:29 > 0:18:30That was quite upsetting
0:18:30 > 0:18:34because I didn't want to leave him on his own, really.
0:18:40 > 0:18:43The team race to the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro.
0:18:48 > 0:18:51Steve radios ahead to brief the medical team.
0:18:55 > 0:18:57And just 15 minutes later...
0:19:03 > 0:19:05There we are, sir.
0:19:05 > 0:19:07..David's rushed to clinical imaging.
0:19:15 > 0:19:19This is the place where he can get rapid scanning of his brain to
0:19:19 > 0:19:22determine what's caused the collapse and the headache this morning,
0:19:22 > 0:19:24and see what's the best form of treatment.
0:19:26 > 0:19:27Ready, set, slide.
0:19:31 > 0:19:34The initial scan reveals Steve's suspicions are correct.
0:19:37 > 0:19:41David has had a stroke, caused by a blood clot in his neck.
0:19:46 > 0:19:49For him and his family, the next few days are critical.
0:20:01 > 0:20:04As for Steve and his team, there's no let-up.
0:20:04 > 0:20:08In summer, the county's population swells by an extra 200,000 people.
0:20:10 > 0:20:13The extra visitor numbers places a huge strain on
0:20:13 > 0:20:15the ambulance service in terms of call volume,
0:20:15 > 0:20:19which is significantly increased in this time of year.
0:20:21 > 0:20:23A call's come in.
0:20:26 > 0:20:30Fortunately, travelling 140mph has its advantages.
0:20:35 > 0:20:39The team are travelling 28 miles to Boscrege, near Helston,
0:20:39 > 0:20:41where a woman's been thrown from her horse.
0:21:11 > 0:21:13Early reports suggest a broken pelvis.
0:21:19 > 0:21:23Steve and his team are called to around 70 horse falls per year,
0:21:23 > 0:21:26often with potentially life-threatening injuries.
0:21:28 > 0:21:32But the challenges facing Steve, fellow paramedic Paul Symonds
0:21:32 > 0:21:36and pilot Doug Pye aren't only medical.
0:21:36 > 0:21:38Today, access is also a problem.
0:21:44 > 0:21:48Coming in to treat these patients with a helicopter, we have obviously
0:21:48 > 0:21:52got concerns about the lay of the land and where it can be.
0:21:55 > 0:21:58We need to be aware that all animals are away from the scene,
0:21:58 > 0:22:01and we aim to land as far away from them as possible.
0:22:01 > 0:22:03- You able to spin it round at all? - Yeah, can do.
0:22:06 > 0:22:09Landing almost a quarter mile from the accident,
0:22:09 > 0:22:11the team must continue on foot...
0:22:13 > 0:22:17..with Steve carrying essential medical equipment and supplies,
0:22:17 > 0:22:19weighing a backbreaking 25 kilos.
0:22:24 > 0:22:27If there is a significant break to the pelvis,
0:22:27 > 0:22:31a lot of the body's blood volume can be lost in that area.
0:22:31 > 0:22:34So it is potentially a significantly serious injury,
0:22:34 > 0:22:38so we were prepared for the worst case scenario in this incident.
0:22:45 > 0:22:48From one Celtic kingdom to another.
0:22:54 > 0:22:59The Isle of Man, 34 miles off England's west coast,
0:22:59 > 0:23:01is renowned for both its independence
0:23:01 > 0:23:03and its breathtaking scenery.
0:23:08 > 0:23:12It's also home to a population just shy of 85,000
0:23:12 > 0:23:15who, in case of emergency, rely on their own,
0:23:15 > 0:23:17independent ambulance service.
0:23:24 > 0:23:29With a staff of more than 40 people and a fleet of 23 vehicles,
0:23:29 > 0:23:32it's the first response to any medical emergency.
0:23:37 > 0:23:39Paramedics Kerry McShane and Mark Dodd
0:23:39 > 0:23:43have been called to an elderly man who's been suffering intense pain
0:23:43 > 0:23:44in the neck and back.
0:23:55 > 0:23:59The man's home is in Douglas, where Kerry and Mark are also based.
0:23:59 > 0:24:02But even on this small island, there are traffic problems.
0:24:26 > 0:24:27In five minutes,
0:24:27 > 0:24:31Kerry and Mark arrive at the home of 85-year-old Peter.
0:24:31 > 0:24:34He lives alone and hurt himself a week ago.
0:24:47 > 0:24:49You've seen nobody since the fall?
0:25:00 > 0:25:03While the fall could explain Peter's discomfort,
0:25:03 > 0:25:05it could also point to an underlying issue.
0:25:08 > 0:25:10Just painful?
0:25:10 > 0:25:11When you turn your head.
0:25:11 > 0:25:14Obviously, the first thing that we wanted to do was assess
0:25:14 > 0:25:18whether or not he had injury to his neck,
0:25:18 > 0:25:21or whether it was muscular pain that he had.
0:25:21 > 0:25:25And when Mark palpated it was more to the right side,
0:25:25 > 0:25:27I think, of his neck.
0:25:27 > 0:25:31So it seemed to be more muscular in origin to us,
0:25:31 > 0:25:32the source of his pain.
0:25:34 > 0:25:36Peter's neck is a concern.
0:25:36 > 0:25:39But with the cause of his fall a mystery too,
0:25:39 > 0:25:43Mark makes a call to transport him to A&E.
0:25:43 > 0:25:45Shall we pop you along to hospital
0:25:45 > 0:25:48- and let the doctor have a look at you?- Yes.
0:25:48 > 0:25:50Do you want something for the pain?
0:25:50 > 0:25:52To help with the pain?
0:25:55 > 0:25:57- Yeah.- OK.
0:25:59 > 0:26:01KERRY LAUGHS
0:26:01 > 0:26:02Well, we can help with one of those.
0:26:04 > 0:26:08But given Peter's age, even easing his pain isn't straightforward.
0:26:08 > 0:26:11Did they have trouble getting blood from you?
0:26:11 > 0:26:14We offered him some pain relief, but I was unable to cannulate
0:26:14 > 0:26:15due to his poor veins.
0:26:15 > 0:26:19So we went for the alternative and gave him some oramorph,
0:26:19 > 0:26:22which is a morphine, and he just takes it orally
0:26:22 > 0:26:25which seemed to relax him a little bit.
0:26:27 > 0:26:30Gently, Mark helps Peter to the ambulance.
0:26:30 > 0:26:33Is that pain constant? Is it there all the time?
0:26:34 > 0:26:36Before they depart,
0:26:36 > 0:26:39he and Kerry build up their patient's medical history.
0:26:39 > 0:26:42You've got a little mark on your hand,
0:26:42 > 0:26:45was that when you fell in the garden?
0:26:46 > 0:26:47Oh, yes, I see.
0:26:47 > 0:26:52Any detail, no matter how small, could help explain why Peter fell.
0:26:54 > 0:26:56Previous surgery?
0:26:56 > 0:26:58What did you have done?
0:26:58 > 0:27:00- A bypass.- A bypass?
0:27:00 > 0:27:02- 21 years ago.- 21 years ago?
0:27:02 > 0:27:05- Was it a triple or quadruple? - Triple.- Triple.
0:27:05 > 0:27:08- And no strokes in the past?- No. - Nothing like that?
0:27:09 > 0:27:11Peter's next stop, Noble's Hospital.
0:27:15 > 0:27:18There, he'll be X-rayed and given further tests
0:27:18 > 0:27:22in the hope this medical mystery can be solved once and for all.
0:27:22 > 0:27:25I drove us into hospital.
0:27:25 > 0:27:28Doddy, as we call him, he was attending that day,
0:27:28 > 0:27:31so he stayed in the back with Peter.
0:27:31 > 0:27:34- How's that pain, after that morphine I've given you?- It's helped.
0:27:34 > 0:27:36It's helped a lot, has it?
0:27:36 > 0:27:39We do repeat observations on the way in before we get into hospital,
0:27:39 > 0:27:43just to make sure everything is still stable, nothing has changed.
0:27:46 > 0:27:48Kerry and Mark get Peter checked in.
0:27:50 > 0:27:51Welcome to A&E.
0:27:54 > 0:27:56- Can I help you with your legs? - Yes, please.
0:27:56 > 0:27:58OK, here we go, ready?
0:28:01 > 0:28:0485 years of age, history of a fall, one week ago.
0:28:06 > 0:28:08Peter is seen by Dr Rashid,
0:28:08 > 0:28:12who soon figures out the reason behind the fall.
0:28:12 > 0:28:16He came in with neck pain, but when I examined him he looked quite pale.
0:28:16 > 0:28:19So we did some blood tests and some X-rays.
0:28:19 > 0:28:22His neck X-ray was OK, just showed wear and tear.
0:28:22 > 0:28:26But his haemoglobin, which is the blood test, was lower than normal.
0:28:26 > 0:28:29So he has been losing blood from somewhere
0:28:29 > 0:28:33and that's why I think he felt dizzy and had a fall.
0:28:35 > 0:28:38While this means Peter requires more tests,
0:28:38 > 0:28:41he should now get the treatment he needs.
0:28:41 > 0:28:45The neck injury, actually, highlighted a deep problem,
0:28:45 > 0:28:47so it's a good thing that he was admitted.
0:28:47 > 0:28:50Otherwise, if we sent him home just with a neck injury,
0:28:50 > 0:28:53he would have fallen again.
0:28:53 > 0:28:56All going to plan, Peter's medical mystery will soon be solved.
0:29:09 > 0:29:11Back in South Warwickshire,
0:29:11 > 0:29:14rural bobby Craig Purcell is still cracking down on drivers.
0:29:17 > 0:29:19Have you got your driving licence with you, by any chance?
0:29:19 > 0:29:23Residents want me to be out there, protecting the roads,
0:29:23 > 0:29:25making sure they can travel to and from work
0:29:25 > 0:29:27and go about their business within the villages
0:29:27 > 0:29:29and on the road network and feel safe.
0:29:29 > 0:29:32This shouldn't be on the road. Is it yours?
0:29:32 > 0:29:34And what's so far been a busy shift
0:29:34 > 0:29:37is showing no sign of slowing down.
0:29:37 > 0:29:40SIREN
0:29:40 > 0:29:43Craig's run a courier's vehicle through the police database
0:29:43 > 0:29:45and it's showing as uninsured.
0:29:57 > 0:30:00While the driver can prove he's fully insured,
0:30:00 > 0:30:03there's another problem.
0:30:03 > 0:30:07The MOT's in order, but there is no tax on it either,
0:30:07 > 0:30:08so I'll check another system.
0:30:08 > 0:30:11Unfortunately, the result is the same.
0:30:34 > 0:30:37- Are you still in Warwick, your address?- Yes, yes.- OK.
0:30:40 > 0:30:43The courier may have to back pay his tax,
0:30:43 > 0:30:46plus an additional 50% as a penalty.
0:30:46 > 0:30:48And Craig's spotted another issue.
0:30:50 > 0:30:52You can see, just stood over from a few feet away,
0:30:52 > 0:30:56that looks like it's pretty bald. And coming up and examining it
0:30:56 > 0:31:00just with my fingers, the centre's slick,
0:31:00 > 0:31:02and the outside, when I get the measuring tool out,
0:31:02 > 0:31:05that's going to be under the legal limit as well.
0:31:05 > 0:31:08So I'll have a look at the rest of the vehicle, see if there's any other issues with it.
0:31:08 > 0:31:11One of the tyres was bad, the other was ridiculous -
0:31:11 > 0:31:13it shouldn't have been on the road.
0:31:13 > 0:31:15And as I was examining them, he actually commented to me,
0:31:15 > 0:31:18the driver, that he was aware that the tyres were in that state.
0:31:18 > 0:31:21I'll be honest, I have two tyres that aren't great.
0:31:23 > 0:31:25I know you're a courier.
0:31:25 > 0:31:28Based on the status of the tax and the status of the vehicle
0:31:28 > 0:31:31- at the moment, the vehicle's going to have to be seized.- Right.
0:31:31 > 0:31:34Have you got somebody else that could come along,
0:31:34 > 0:31:39unload, get that into something else so that we're not taking everything that's in there as well?
0:31:39 > 0:31:41- I'll phone someone.- Thank you.
0:31:41 > 0:31:45What seems like a little thing to that driver potentially could
0:31:45 > 0:31:48have a big impact if he is involved in a collision,
0:31:48 > 0:31:50an impact on the person he's crashing into,
0:31:50 > 0:31:51an impact on his own life.
0:31:51 > 0:31:57So while the courier contacts HQ, Craig calls for a recovery truck.
0:31:57 > 0:32:00The vehicle will be seized, initially for the tax reason.
0:32:00 > 0:32:02We don't seize a vehicle...
0:32:02 > 0:32:04Or I wouldn't seize a vehicle purely for the tyres.
0:32:04 > 0:32:07But that, coupled with the fact that tax is out so far - it's almost
0:32:07 > 0:32:1112 months - it'll be seized for the DVLA to deal with that matter.
0:32:11 > 0:32:13I will complete paperwork for the two bald tyres.
0:32:13 > 0:32:16Because there are two it won't be a straightforward, single ticket -
0:32:16 > 0:32:20the matter will go to court, basically, for the magistrates to deal with.
0:32:20 > 0:32:24And to top it off, Craig's required to breathalyse the driver as well.
0:32:25 > 0:32:27How old are you?
0:32:33 > 0:32:34Today?
0:32:34 > 0:32:36- No, no.- I was going to say.
0:32:40 > 0:32:43OK, I'll keep a hold of the machine. If you can take a nice, deep breath.
0:32:43 > 0:32:46Don't blow as hard as you can, just steady until I say stop.
0:32:46 > 0:32:48Deep breath, and blow.
0:32:50 > 0:32:52That's it.
0:32:52 > 0:32:53Thank you.
0:32:53 > 0:32:55Zero, no problem there.
0:32:58 > 0:33:02Even so, it's fair to say it hasn't been a good day at the office.
0:33:04 > 0:33:08Stops the whole job for the day, so not great.
0:33:08 > 0:33:11The DVLA will require the back tax to November.
0:33:11 > 0:33:14Whether they impose a fine or not as well, I'm not sure.
0:33:14 > 0:33:15I think that is likely.
0:33:15 > 0:33:19But the main offences on top of that, the two tyres...
0:33:19 > 0:33:22I don't really need to measure this one for evidence
0:33:22 > 0:33:25because you can see it's slick.
0:33:25 > 0:33:28There's absolutely no tread on there whatsoever on the outside.
0:33:28 > 0:33:34..the magistrates will issue points for one of the tyres and a fine.
0:33:34 > 0:33:37And then the second tyre, they don't double up the points, so if you
0:33:37 > 0:33:40have four bald tyres, you don't end up with three points for each one.
0:33:40 > 0:33:43They tend to then issue a fine for every secondary offence after
0:33:43 > 0:33:45the initial tyre.
0:33:45 > 0:33:48Slick at the front, slick at the rear, and the no tax.
0:33:48 > 0:33:51It shouldn't be on the road, it's dangerous.
0:33:51 > 0:33:54The cavalry soon arrives to transport the cargo
0:33:54 > 0:33:55and its courier back to base.
0:33:57 > 0:34:00He phoned his boss or a colleague who came out in another van,
0:34:00 > 0:34:02which was all in order.
0:34:02 > 0:34:05Checked that through as well, because you'd be surprised how many
0:34:05 > 0:34:08people turn up to pick up people from vehicles that've been seized
0:34:08 > 0:34:10and they've got no insurance or they've got other issues,
0:34:10 > 0:34:13and they try and complain, "I was only coming to pick him up
0:34:13 > 0:34:16"and do him a favour, you can't do me for this."
0:34:16 > 0:34:18You know, the excuses are endless.
0:34:22 > 0:34:24Meanwhile, this van's off the road
0:34:24 > 0:34:27with its driver facing some costly fines,
0:34:27 > 0:34:31leaving Craig free to catch his next unsuspecting motorist.
0:34:41 > 0:34:45From country coppers to country choppers.
0:34:45 > 0:34:50In Cornwall, the air ambulance has been dispatched to a woman who's
0:34:50 > 0:34:52been thrown from her horse.
0:34:52 > 0:34:54She may be suffering from a broken pelvis.
0:34:57 > 0:35:00It's a journey paramedic Steve Garvey has had to finish on foot,
0:35:00 > 0:35:03and with 25 kilos of kit on his back.
0:35:04 > 0:35:06- What's your name?- Katie.
0:35:06 > 0:35:07- Hi, Katie.- Laity.
0:35:07 > 0:35:09Katie Laity?
0:35:09 > 0:35:11That's a name.
0:35:11 > 0:35:12I'm Steve.
0:35:12 > 0:35:15Just going to pop a little machine on,
0:35:15 > 0:35:18I'll do your blood pressure and your heart rate.
0:35:18 > 0:35:21So you weren't expecting all this attention, then, today.
0:35:22 > 0:35:24Well, these things happen.
0:35:25 > 0:35:26Upon talking to her,
0:35:26 > 0:35:29she was more concerned about the embarrassment of it -
0:35:29 > 0:35:32having so many people around, having a police officer,
0:35:32 > 0:35:36having a helicopter, having other road ambulance paramedics there -
0:35:36 > 0:35:40than she was about any potential injuries or pains she might have.
0:35:42 > 0:35:44Even so, Steve's taking no chances.
0:35:46 > 0:35:49Well, I fell off and heard a bit of a crack here.
0:35:49 > 0:35:53On my leg, on the inside of my calf, feels grazed or something.
0:35:53 > 0:35:57And my arm's grazed. But this bit, something did make a noise.
0:35:57 > 0:35:59So something made a noise when you landed?
0:35:59 > 0:36:02- You haven't tried to stand up?- No.
0:36:02 > 0:36:05Steve's ruled out a broken pelvis,
0:36:05 > 0:36:09but needs to examine Katie more thoroughly.
0:36:09 > 0:36:11- Meet Katie Laity! - LAUGHTER
0:36:11 > 0:36:12- Hi, how are you?- OK.
0:36:12 > 0:36:14This is Pauly Wally.
0:36:16 > 0:36:21I'm a firm believer in that humour is a great aid to suffering
0:36:21 > 0:36:23and discomfort as much as any drug.
0:36:23 > 0:36:27So if it helps to ease the patient's condition with
0:36:27 > 0:36:30a bit of TLC along the way...
0:36:30 > 0:36:34We want to get you out this awkward position that you're in,
0:36:34 > 0:36:38- get you scooped up and off the road, which is not very comfy. - Obviously, I'm a bit in the way.
0:36:38 > 0:36:41I'm not worried about the traffic, I'm worried about it's not very comfortable for you
0:36:41 > 0:36:44- to be lying there. Get you on the stretcher and we can have a look at you.- OK.
0:36:44 > 0:36:47She has felt some discomfort in her right hip.
0:36:47 > 0:36:50She was initially sat up and she's managed to move both legs around,
0:36:50 > 0:36:54so we're treating her as a non-time-critical patient at this stage.
0:36:54 > 0:36:56We're just going to gently scoop her off the road,
0:36:56 > 0:36:59keep her more comfortable, and we can further assess her in the back
0:36:59 > 0:37:02of the ambulance and decide the best method of taking her to hospital.
0:37:02 > 0:37:06I mean, at this stage Katie's declined any analgesia,
0:37:06 > 0:37:09so she's not in too much pain at the moment.
0:37:09 > 0:37:14But then, ladies are quite tough, particularly the horse riders.
0:37:14 > 0:37:16Katie, if you want any painkillers or that position changes,
0:37:16 > 0:37:18just let us know.
0:37:18 > 0:37:21- If it hurts, I'll tell you. - OK, definitely.
0:37:21 > 0:37:24As the team prepares to move Katie, sure enough,
0:37:24 > 0:37:25the pain starts to come back.
0:37:28 > 0:37:31How you've got that odd sensation,
0:37:31 > 0:37:34we can't rule anything out here at the scene.
0:37:34 > 0:37:37So I think we'd prefer to take you to hospital just so that
0:37:37 > 0:37:41can be checked over and see if you potentially need an X-ray on that.
0:37:46 > 0:37:50Steve and the team always err on the side of caution.
0:37:50 > 0:37:53It is a fair old journey back up to Truro -
0:37:53 > 0:37:57anything up to 45 minutes, an hour in an ambulance.
0:37:57 > 0:37:58Five-minute flight for us.
0:37:58 > 0:38:00It's kind of a no-brainer, really.
0:38:05 > 0:38:08Sometimes we have to prepare for the worst scenario.
0:38:08 > 0:38:10But if we're greeted with a more positive outcome
0:38:10 > 0:38:14and less serious injuries, that's a welcome change.
0:38:14 > 0:38:15Ready, set, lift.
0:38:17 > 0:38:20- You all right there, Katie?- Yeah. - Nothing's changed?
0:38:20 > 0:38:22- Don't need any pain relief?- No.
0:38:22 > 0:38:26Katie being a local lady that rides horses,
0:38:26 > 0:38:28I'm sure she's of tough stock.
0:38:28 > 0:38:32And I'm pretty sure she'll be back on her horse in no time at all.
0:38:36 > 0:38:40Katie is just one of up to 800 patients
0:38:40 > 0:38:43Cornwall Air Ambulance is called to every year.
0:38:47 > 0:38:51- Right, Katie, wish you all the best. - Thank you very much for helping me.
0:38:52 > 0:38:55In the majority of cases, the injuries are life-threatening.
0:38:58 > 0:39:0263-year-old stroke victim David was in a critical condition.
0:39:02 > 0:39:05My name's Steve, I'm a medic with the helicopter.
0:39:07 > 0:39:09Ready, set, slide.
0:39:09 > 0:39:12He went from scene to scanner in just 15 minutes,
0:39:12 > 0:39:16a journey that took his partner Sandra more than an hour by road.
0:39:16 > 0:39:20A lot had happened by the time we actually got to the hospital,
0:39:20 > 0:39:23so the time we'd been, less than an hour,
0:39:23 > 0:39:25they could come back and tell us that the stroke
0:39:25 > 0:39:28had been caused by a clot as opposed to a bleed on the brain.
0:39:31 > 0:39:35Clots are the cause of 85% of all strokes.
0:39:35 > 0:39:38David's was the result of a damaged artery in his neck.
0:39:38 > 0:39:41Treatment began immediately.
0:39:41 > 0:39:43I was just so worried.
0:39:43 > 0:39:49It was really, then, wait and see what damage that stroke had
0:39:49 > 0:39:54done to Dave, and how much he was going to recover.
0:39:54 > 0:39:57We didn't know whether he would be able to walk properly,
0:39:57 > 0:40:01use his arm, and it affected his eyesight quite a lot, but we didn't
0:40:01 > 0:40:06know how or why, and what long-term effects that was going to have.
0:40:08 > 0:40:12David underwent multiple scans and a lumbar puncture.
0:40:12 > 0:40:16For Sandra and family, the days that followed were tough.
0:40:28 > 0:40:33But after five days of critical care, finally David was able
0:40:33 > 0:40:36to return home to Stourbridge in the West Midlands.
0:40:37 > 0:40:39Initially, I couldn't brush my teeth.
0:40:39 > 0:40:44If I lifted my hand up like that it just fell down,
0:40:44 > 0:40:46which was quite surreal, really.
0:40:46 > 0:40:49Now I can do all of that.
0:40:49 > 0:40:51I can hold things, I can grip things.
0:40:54 > 0:40:58It's now been just over five weeks since David's stroke.
0:40:58 > 0:41:00My head is...
0:41:00 > 0:41:03It's quite...
0:41:03 > 0:41:05I've gone...
0:41:05 > 0:41:09He's still experiencing problems with vision and mobility,
0:41:09 > 0:41:13but his recovery has exceeded expectations.
0:41:13 > 0:41:16I feel as though I'm going in the right direction,
0:41:16 > 0:41:20and most of that will, I'm told, should come back.
0:41:20 > 0:41:23I'm just going to have to be patient for the first time in my life.
0:41:25 > 0:41:30But he'll never forget that fateful day on Lizard Peninsula.
0:41:30 > 0:41:34It was so sudden. The whole thing was just so sudden.
0:41:34 > 0:41:39One second I was sitting outside, talking with our friends,
0:41:39 > 0:41:43the next second my head just went.
0:41:43 > 0:41:46Can you feel me touching this hand?
0:41:46 > 0:41:49I'm spending a life where I've done everything, really,
0:41:49 > 0:41:51that I've wanted to do, within reason.
0:41:51 > 0:41:54Run marathons, played football, climbed mountains
0:41:54 > 0:41:56and all these type of things...
0:41:59 > 0:42:05..to thinking, "That might all have come to an end now."
0:42:09 > 0:42:12Even so, he feels he owes his survival to the team
0:42:12 > 0:42:14at the Cornwall Air Ambulance.
0:42:14 > 0:42:17If we get a chance to see any of those people again,
0:42:17 > 0:42:20I would just say a really big thank you to them.
0:42:20 > 0:42:24Top of their game, really. Nothing but admiration for them.
0:42:34 > 0:42:39It's been all go for the emergency services across the British Isles.
0:42:39 > 0:42:42In South Warwickshire, three months after being stopped,
0:42:42 > 0:42:45the local witch still hasn't got her licence...
0:42:47 > 0:42:50..while the courier who had no tax and two bald tyres
0:42:50 > 0:42:53is still waiting to hear the outcome of his case.
0:42:56 > 0:43:00On the Isle of Man, Peter got home after six days,
0:43:00 > 0:43:02though his tests were inconclusive.
0:43:04 > 0:43:05And in Cornwall,
0:43:05 > 0:43:09Katie Laity's back in the saddle after a month of physio.
0:43:11 > 0:43:14And you thought it was quiet in the countryside!