0:00:03 > 0:00:06A close call. A moment of danger when life can hang in the balance.
0:00:06 > 0:00:08I could die here. This is really serious.
0:00:09 > 0:00:13A split second where the outcome could go either way.
0:00:13 > 0:00:14Right, call 999 now.
0:00:14 > 0:00:17The difference between disaster and survival.
0:00:17 > 0:00:20You could see it on the faces of the crew how life-threatening this was.
0:00:20 > 0:00:24Why would you need to swim? Apparently, they're still supposed to be on a boat.
0:00:24 > 0:00:27These are the people who've been there and lived to tell the tale.
0:00:27 > 0:00:28I thought she'd died.
0:00:28 > 0:00:31It's a day they'll never forget.
0:00:31 > 0:00:33The day they had a close call.
0:00:49 > 0:00:53Today, on Close Calls, a young boy falls 40 feet from a cliff edge,
0:00:53 > 0:00:56slamming into concrete below.
0:00:56 > 0:01:01Emergency workers reach the child and know his injuries are critical.
0:01:01 > 0:01:04Carried to a waiting air ambulance, he's surrounded by firemen,
0:01:04 > 0:01:06paramedics and doctors.
0:01:07 > 0:01:12And walking behind them all, feeling helpless and numb, is his dad.
0:01:12 > 0:01:16I honestly thought when Dave shut his eyes, it was the final goodbye.
0:01:16 > 0:01:18I really did.
0:01:18 > 0:01:23And two British adventurers on an expedition to cross the Bering Sea
0:01:23 > 0:01:24become stranded.
0:01:25 > 0:01:27We're actually stuck fast in sea ice,
0:01:27 > 0:01:31which means we can't paddle through it and we can't walk on it.
0:01:34 > 0:01:37The weather has grounded their backup helicopter
0:01:37 > 0:01:39and a US Coastguard plane can't land.
0:01:39 > 0:01:44So it's what you would call check, maybe checkmate.
0:01:50 > 0:01:53Cullercoats Bay, North Tyneside.
0:01:53 > 0:01:57A young boy scales a fence on his way to join pals jumping
0:01:57 > 0:02:00into the sea from a cliff edge.
0:02:00 > 0:02:02He disappears from view.
0:02:02 > 0:02:07His best friend, a few feet in front of him, hears his screams.
0:02:07 > 0:02:10I didn't really know if he was alive or not.
0:02:10 > 0:02:14The boy has fallen 40 feet onto concrete sea defences.
0:02:14 > 0:02:15He's seriously injured.
0:02:15 > 0:02:18Emergency workers flood the scene.
0:02:18 > 0:02:20And the boy's father is brought to his side.
0:02:20 > 0:02:23I was trying to tell him he'd be absolutely fine.
0:02:23 > 0:02:25I was thinking, "I'm lying to him."
0:02:25 > 0:02:28But how do you tell your 12-year-old son
0:02:28 > 0:02:30that you don't think he's going to make it?
0:02:40 > 0:02:43Sports mad Leyton loves a kickaround with his dad, Mark.
0:02:43 > 0:02:45They've got a great relationship.
0:02:45 > 0:02:48Leyton's a very, very bubbly character, very popular.
0:02:48 > 0:02:50Any of his friends will tell you that.
0:02:51 > 0:02:53Very active. He can turn his hand to any sport.
0:02:53 > 0:02:54He's very gifted that way.
0:02:56 > 0:02:59We've got more of a friendship, I'd say, than a father-son relationship.
0:03:01 > 0:03:02Leyton, his dad,
0:03:02 > 0:03:07mum and sister live near stunning Cullercoats Bay in North Tyneside.
0:03:07 > 0:03:13This beautiful long stretch of sand has always been Leyton's playground.
0:03:13 > 0:03:15I like going to the beach, like, with me friends
0:03:15 > 0:03:17and swimming in the sea.
0:03:17 > 0:03:18Sometimes with me friends.
0:03:18 > 0:03:21Or sometimes sit and talk and play in the sand
0:03:21 > 0:03:23and play football in the sand as well.
0:03:25 > 0:03:27Leyton's best friend is Ryan.
0:03:27 > 0:03:31They've known each other since they were five and went to nursery together.
0:03:33 > 0:03:34He's a really good friend.
0:03:34 > 0:03:37Rely on him whenever, whenever you need him.
0:03:42 > 0:03:45It's a sunny summer's day in August.
0:03:45 > 0:03:50Leyton is enjoying the school holiday and spending lots of time at the beach.
0:03:50 > 0:03:52Today, he's with his pal Andrew.
0:03:52 > 0:03:54They're on their way to meet Ryan.
0:03:54 > 0:03:56The plans were just to go to the beach,
0:03:56 > 0:04:00jump off the pier and just have a good day all round.
0:04:00 > 0:04:06After a couple of hours, the boys leave the beach and head further along the coast.
0:04:06 > 0:04:08Heard that people are jumping off the cliffs,
0:04:08 > 0:04:11so I had a walk over to have a look who was doing it.
0:04:11 > 0:04:13The jumpers are on Marconi Point,
0:04:13 > 0:04:15an area of cliff about a ten-minute walk away.
0:04:17 > 0:04:23A CCTV camera on a nearby house captures a group of young people getting ready to jump.
0:04:25 > 0:04:29A camera on the side of the same house shows Leyton and Ryan heading
0:04:29 > 0:04:30towards the point.
0:04:30 > 0:04:34Leyton, in a Superman wet suit, leads the way.
0:04:34 > 0:04:36Ryan, in black, walks alongside him.
0:04:37 > 0:04:42Andrew, also in a Superman suit, runs to catch them up.
0:04:42 > 0:04:46Another view picks the boys up further down the path,
0:04:46 > 0:04:51walking quickly towards some steps leading down to the sea.
0:04:51 > 0:04:53Five more youngsters follow shortly behind.
0:04:55 > 0:04:58The group stop at the top of the steps.
0:04:58 > 0:05:03They're intending to jump over a wall and climb along the outside of
0:05:03 > 0:05:05a metal security fence to reach the grassy clifftop.
0:05:07 > 0:05:12To join the others jumping into the sea they have make their way along the narrow cliff edge.
0:05:12 > 0:05:15There's a 40-foot drop below.
0:05:15 > 0:05:18The security fence is there to prevent them from getting on to the cliff top.
0:05:18 > 0:05:22Ignoring it is a decision they'll regret for ever.
0:05:24 > 0:05:26I jumped this little wall to get to them.
0:05:26 > 0:05:30So Ryan went first and he got over.
0:05:30 > 0:05:35There was a drop which we didn't see at first and we had to go round the drop, kind of.
0:05:35 > 0:05:39Ryan reaches the grassy verge on the other side of the drop.
0:05:39 > 0:05:41Next, it's Leyton's turn.
0:05:43 > 0:05:47This footage shows him climbing up onto the wall.
0:05:47 > 0:05:52All I could see was like the cliff on the left of us and down below was
0:05:52 > 0:05:55just like rocks and a concrete, like, floor.
0:05:57 > 0:06:01Then Leyton suddenly vanishes from view.
0:06:01 > 0:06:03Ryan hears a scream behind him.
0:06:03 > 0:06:07He turns around just in time to see his best friend plummeting down the cliff,
0:06:07 > 0:06:12crashing on to a concrete platform, 40 feet down.
0:06:21 > 0:06:23He hit the floor and he had blood coming from the right side
0:06:23 > 0:06:27of his body, so I didn't really know if he was alive or not.
0:06:28 > 0:06:32The entire group of friends have seen Leyton fall.
0:06:33 > 0:06:36Everyone was scared. We all thought he was gone.
0:06:36 > 0:06:38Two of the group run for help,
0:06:38 > 0:06:42while Ryan rushes down the sea steps to reach Leyton.
0:06:42 > 0:06:46He finds his friend alive, but badly injured.
0:06:46 > 0:06:48I was telling Leyton it's going to be OK,
0:06:48 > 0:06:49he just needs to try and breathe.
0:06:51 > 0:06:53At the top of the cliff, members of the public,
0:06:53 > 0:06:56attracted by the youngsters' screams, rush to help.
0:06:59 > 0:07:02One is Wayne Dobson, a volunteer from Tynemouth Life Brigade,
0:07:02 > 0:07:05a search and rescue organisation.
0:07:05 > 0:07:07We heard a bit of a commotion on the other side of the bay.
0:07:07 > 0:07:09When I looked around, there was two,
0:07:09 > 0:07:13three young kids running up to dog walkers and strangers.
0:07:13 > 0:07:15They seemed quite panicked.
0:07:15 > 0:07:20From the top of the cliff, Wayne can tell the young boy is seriously hurt.
0:07:20 > 0:07:22I said to members of the public to ring the ambulance,
0:07:22 > 0:07:25inform them that there's head injuries.
0:07:26 > 0:07:28Wayne hurries down to Leyton.
0:07:28 > 0:07:31When I got there, I placed a towel around Leyton's head.
0:07:31 > 0:07:32Kept his head still.
0:07:32 > 0:07:34He was very calm.
0:07:34 > 0:07:37He knew what he was doing. Without him,
0:07:37 > 0:07:38it wouldn't have been the same.
0:07:40 > 0:07:42Ryan is distraught.
0:07:42 > 0:07:46He goes back to the cliff top, where he's comforted by a local resident.
0:07:47 > 0:07:51This woman took us all in and said that we could just all sit in her
0:07:51 > 0:07:54garden to warm up, because she knew we were shocked.
0:07:55 > 0:07:57Volunteer rescue worker Wayne
0:07:57 > 0:08:01stays with Leyton and tries to stem the flow of blood from his head.
0:08:01 > 0:08:03When I saw the blood coming out of his ears,
0:08:03 > 0:08:07I obviously knew straight away that he had potential fracture of the skull.
0:08:07 > 0:08:10He was moaning and groaning, drifting in and out of consciousness.
0:08:10 > 0:08:12It was quite shocking. I've seen things like that before,
0:08:12 > 0:08:14but, it was obviously... To a young kid,
0:08:14 > 0:08:16it's quite shocking to see.
0:08:19 > 0:08:22A mile away, Leyton's dad, Mark, a maintenance engineer,
0:08:22 > 0:08:24has just got in from work.
0:08:24 > 0:08:29Looking forward to getting home and sitting in the garden half an hour and relaxing.
0:08:29 > 0:08:33But then his front door bangs open and his sister-in-law rushes in.
0:08:33 > 0:08:36And she came in very frantically, saying Leyton had an accident at the
0:08:36 > 0:08:38coast, fell on rocks.
0:08:39 > 0:08:41So I said I'd go and pick him up.
0:08:41 > 0:08:44I assumed he'd slipped on rocks and cut his leg or his arm
0:08:44 > 0:08:45or banged his head, at worst.
0:08:47 > 0:08:49But that's not what he finds.
0:08:49 > 0:08:53The street is full of emergency services.
0:08:56 > 0:08:58I think I went into a little bit of shock, to be honest.
0:08:58 > 0:09:00I can't remember a lot of it.
0:09:00 > 0:09:02A policeman takes him straight to his son,
0:09:02 > 0:09:04but Leyton is barely recognisable.
0:09:05 > 0:09:08His head was at least twice the size on the right side.
0:09:08 > 0:09:10I was trying to reassure him, telling him that the people that were there,
0:09:10 > 0:09:13the emergency services would look after him and he'd be absolutely fine.
0:09:13 > 0:09:16I was thinking, "I'm lying to him.
0:09:16 > 0:09:19"He won't be fine," but how do you tell your 12-year-old son
0:09:19 > 0:09:22that you don't think he's going to make it?
0:09:24 > 0:09:28Later, fears for Leyton's survival grow.
0:09:28 > 0:09:32His condition is so serious air ambulance medics must treat him on the spot.
0:09:32 > 0:09:35Leyton had an injury severity score of 50.
0:09:35 > 0:09:38Anything above 15 is classed as major trauma.
0:09:46 > 0:09:50Next, a pair of adventurers who planned every step of their expedition.
0:09:50 > 0:09:52But it doesn't matter how professional you are,
0:09:52 > 0:09:53you can't control the weather.
0:09:55 > 0:09:57The Bering Strait, Alaska.
0:09:58 > 0:10:01Two British men are trapped on the ice.
0:10:01 > 0:10:06It's too thick for them to get through on their kayaks and too thin to walk on.
0:10:06 > 0:10:09They're locked in and their backup helicopter can't reach them.
0:10:11 > 0:10:15Weather's closed in. Weather forecast for the next four or five
0:10:15 > 0:10:16days looks pretty the same.
0:10:16 > 0:10:17They're not getting out to us.
0:10:28 > 0:10:31James Bingham is a dedicated family man.
0:10:31 > 0:10:33He enjoys nothing more than taking his tribe
0:10:33 > 0:10:35on mini-adventures into the great outdoors.
0:10:37 > 0:10:41But once a year, he likes to push himself that little bit further.
0:10:41 > 0:10:45Every year, I try and get out on a big adventure of some sort.
0:10:45 > 0:10:49Whether that's to the Himalayas or to the Andes or recently, to
0:10:49 > 0:10:52Afghanistan, which is another place where I've been on.
0:10:52 > 0:10:53I enjoy taking on new challenges.
0:10:55 > 0:10:58So does his friend and fellow adventurer Neil Laughton.
0:10:58 > 0:11:03He was just 13 when he ventured on his first solo expedition.
0:11:03 > 0:11:05The two kindred spirits met two years ago,
0:11:05 > 0:11:08when they were introduced by a mutual friend.
0:11:08 > 0:11:09They instantly hit it off.
0:11:12 > 0:11:15He's a very experienced mountaineer, adventurer.
0:11:15 > 0:11:18He's been on a number of trips to Everest, the North Pole, the South Pole.
0:11:19 > 0:11:25When you get to my age, you get a real sense of somebody's capabilities
0:11:25 > 0:11:29and James is a tough little Welsh guy, quite relaxed, chilled out.
0:11:29 > 0:11:33I knew on this particular expedition I needed somebody who'd be waiting
0:11:33 > 0:11:35for me rather than the other way around.
0:11:35 > 0:11:36Within just a few weeks of meeting,
0:11:36 > 0:11:41the duo begin to plan their first trip together, to the Bering Sea.
0:11:41 > 0:11:47The Bering Straits, 2016 expedition was an attempt to cross the sea
0:11:47 > 0:11:52between north-west mainland of Alaska and two islands.
0:11:52 > 0:11:55Those two islands, separated by the international date line,
0:11:55 > 0:11:58are Little Diomede and Big Diomede,
0:11:58 > 0:12:00located halfway across the Bering Strait,
0:12:00 > 0:12:03the stretch of water separating North America and Russia.
0:12:03 > 0:12:10The idea was to walk across the frozen sea ice from the mainland to
0:12:10 > 0:12:12the island and back.
0:12:12 > 0:12:13It's no mean feat.
0:12:13 > 0:12:17The 52-mile round trip through treacherous terrain,
0:12:17 > 0:12:20in sub-zero temperatures, would take the men two weeks to complete.
0:12:20 > 0:12:26Only eight people have successfully crossed the Bering Strait on foot or by skiing.
0:12:26 > 0:12:30This is really one of the great remaining adventures, in my mind.
0:12:30 > 0:12:33Compared to the amount of people who, say, climb Everest,
0:12:33 > 0:12:36and myself and Neil have been up there as well,
0:12:36 > 0:12:39this is a far, you know, greater challenge.
0:12:40 > 0:12:43It's March, and as they set off on the expedition,
0:12:43 > 0:12:45they document their journey.
0:12:45 > 0:12:48We had to travel to a little outpost called Wales,
0:12:48 > 0:12:52which is right on the west coast of Alaska, it's a small Inuit settlement,
0:12:52 > 0:12:54there's only about 170 people who live there.
0:12:55 > 0:12:58This footage captures their excitement.
0:12:58 > 0:13:01This is the way to get an airport pick-up.
0:13:01 > 0:13:02Welcome to Wales, Alaska!
0:13:04 > 0:13:05Awesome!
0:13:06 > 0:13:08But it's not all fun.
0:13:08 > 0:13:11Neil and James have been training hard for two years to ensure they're
0:13:11 > 0:13:14fully prepared for this gruelling challenge,
0:13:14 > 0:13:17which will push both mind and body to their limit.
0:13:19 > 0:13:22The key thing you need to have on at all times is a full Arctic
0:13:22 > 0:13:24expedition dry suit.
0:13:24 > 0:13:28It's almost guaranteed at times that you're going to punch through the ice and fall through the ice.
0:13:28 > 0:13:30You have to carry a shotgun,
0:13:30 > 0:13:31because there's polar bears in the area.
0:13:31 > 0:13:34You've got moving sea ice, lots of open water.
0:13:34 > 0:13:36You've got very unpredictable weather.
0:13:36 > 0:13:40Put all that together and it's a very challenging environment.
0:13:40 > 0:13:4224 hours after arriving in Alaska,
0:13:42 > 0:13:47Neil and James prepare to head out on their 14-day adventure.
0:13:47 > 0:13:51They load their nine-foot kayak sleds with all their equipment.
0:13:51 > 0:13:54Each one weighing a hefty 35 kilos.
0:13:55 > 0:13:59We had what we call an alpine start, so it was still dark, it was that early.
0:13:59 > 0:14:00We had all our gear prepped.
0:14:00 > 0:14:04Everything was good to go, and we set off into the darkness,
0:14:04 > 0:14:06pulling our sleds behind us.
0:14:07 > 0:14:12The sleds can also be used to paddle between any large pockets of sea
0:14:12 > 0:14:14separating the chunks of ice.
0:14:14 > 0:14:18But the view that greets them when they eventually make it
0:14:18 > 0:14:20the two miles to shore is not what they were hoping for.
0:14:22 > 0:14:25The scene that we found, it was, as far as the eye could see,
0:14:25 > 0:14:27just complete open sea water.
0:14:29 > 0:14:32I was a little bit concerned about the fact there wasn't any ice in the
0:14:32 > 0:14:34channel, from what I could see.
0:14:35 > 0:14:38The main concern being that we would need somewhere to camp.
0:14:39 > 0:14:41But there's no question of giving up.
0:14:41 > 0:14:42The pair push on.
0:14:42 > 0:14:45But instead of walking, they kayak.
0:14:45 > 0:14:49We had to go for this and if we didn't find ice,
0:14:49 > 0:14:52it was clear we'd have to just keep going.
0:14:52 > 0:14:53Neil leads the way.
0:14:53 > 0:14:56We were making pretty good progress to start with.
0:14:57 > 0:14:59The water was pretty clear. We had the wind behind us.
0:14:59 > 0:15:03We saw the odd seal popping up and it was all going very well.
0:15:03 > 0:15:06But after a few hours of paddling,
0:15:06 > 0:15:09there are signs their luck could run out.
0:15:09 > 0:15:14After ten hours, the sea around us literally began to freeze.
0:15:14 > 0:15:17It was very difficult, nay, impossible, to kayak through
0:15:17 > 0:15:20at about a centimetre or two centimetres thick.
0:15:20 > 0:15:22Once again, the two men push on.
0:15:22 > 0:15:25Then they get a lucky break.
0:15:25 > 0:15:27Quite often what you'd find would be small channels.
0:15:27 > 0:15:30It was like a cobweb, really, of open water through the ice and it
0:15:30 > 0:15:33continued like this for miles and we followed it.
0:15:33 > 0:15:35You know, it was fine.
0:15:35 > 0:15:37But it doesn't stay that way.
0:15:37 > 0:15:39The channels start to close in around them.
0:15:41 > 0:15:44It wasn't very tough ice, so you could break through,
0:15:44 > 0:15:48but progress was almost ground to a halt.
0:15:48 > 0:15:51We were probably doing less than a couple of hundred metres an hour
0:15:51 > 0:15:53and it was very exhausting work.
0:15:54 > 0:16:00They force their way through the ice for 15 miles until exhaustion forces them to stop.
0:16:00 > 0:16:04It's -20 degrees and they're now effectively locked in the ice.
0:16:06 > 0:16:09They try to stay positive as they film,
0:16:09 > 0:16:12but both men know their situation is close to critical.
0:16:14 > 0:16:20But, as you can see, we're actually stuck fast in sea ice,
0:16:20 > 0:16:22and it is kind of rime ice.
0:16:22 > 0:16:27Which means we can't paddle through it, and we can't walk on it.
0:16:27 > 0:16:31So, it's what you would call check, maybe checkmate.
0:16:31 > 0:16:32Time will tell.
0:16:33 > 0:16:36They need shelter and they need warmth,
0:16:36 > 0:16:40but the ice is too thick to paddle through and too thin to stand on.
0:16:41 > 0:16:43We couldn't get out of the kayak.
0:16:43 > 0:16:47It meant that we had no option but to just to literally sleep on top of
0:16:47 > 0:16:50our kayaks overnight.
0:16:50 > 0:16:53Neil photographs James as the sun sinks
0:16:53 > 0:16:56and the temperature plunges to -40.
0:16:56 > 0:16:58He manages a half smile for the camera.
0:16:58 > 0:17:00But James is beginning to suffer.
0:17:01 > 0:17:05He started to sustain frost-bitten fingers.
0:17:05 > 0:17:07The night was utterly miserable.
0:17:07 > 0:17:10The cold isn't their only concern.
0:17:10 > 0:17:13We couldn't get a polar bear alarm system rigged.
0:17:13 > 0:17:16We hadn't drunk for 15 hours.
0:17:16 > 0:17:22Very little food and we spent the night involuntary shivering to the point of exhaustion.
0:17:22 > 0:17:25You know, it made me a bit like...
0:17:25 > 0:17:26yeah, we need to get out of this.
0:17:28 > 0:17:30But that's easier said than done.
0:17:30 > 0:17:35Their backup plan involves a local rescue helicopter on stand-by back at base.
0:17:35 > 0:17:39When dawn breaks, they make the call, but the bad news is...
0:17:40 > 0:17:42..it can't fly.
0:17:42 > 0:17:46The weather's closed in. The weather forecast for the next four or five
0:17:46 > 0:17:47days looks pretty the same.
0:17:47 > 0:17:48They're not getting out to us.
0:17:50 > 0:17:54Less than two days into the expedition, Neil and James are stuck
0:17:54 > 0:17:57hundreds of miles from the nearest town
0:17:57 > 0:18:00and the temperature has now plunged to -40 degrees.
0:18:00 > 0:18:05If they're going to make it out alive, they have only one hope,
0:18:05 > 0:18:07the US Coast Guard.
0:18:07 > 0:18:11Supplied with specialist helicopters suited to the conditions.
0:18:11 > 0:18:15They pull the switch on their emergency personal locator beacon.
0:18:16 > 0:18:20It will transmit our position directly to the coastguard,
0:18:20 > 0:18:23even when we're drifting, it gives a real-time update as to where we are.
0:18:24 > 0:18:28But that doesn't guarantee the Coast Guard can reach them.
0:18:28 > 0:18:32They'll need to travel hundreds of miles from their base in southern Alaska.
0:18:32 > 0:18:35I became very tired very quickly and yeah,
0:18:35 > 0:18:38I was a bit worried and concerned, for sure.
0:18:38 > 0:18:42Then, seven hours after setting off their emergency beacon,
0:18:42 > 0:18:44they spot a dot on the horizon.
0:18:44 > 0:18:48Neil's camera captures a moment he'll never forget.
0:18:48 > 0:18:53The great sight of a C-130 military aircraft came pretty close over our
0:18:53 > 0:18:55position and I think the sixth pass...
0:18:58 > 0:19:02..dropped a parachute which contained some food and a two-way radio.
0:19:03 > 0:19:06The plane is backed up by a Jayhawk helicopter.
0:19:06 > 0:19:09But that takes another two hours to reach them.
0:19:09 > 0:19:13Both aircrafts' in-built cameras record the rescue,
0:19:13 > 0:19:15as the chopper hovers above James and Neil,
0:19:15 > 0:19:18standing precariously on the ice.
0:19:19 > 0:19:22The plan is to send down a rescue swimmer,
0:19:22 > 0:19:24who'll bring each man up separately.
0:19:24 > 0:19:26James goes first.
0:19:27 > 0:19:31He came down and the helicopter was probably about 150 feet up and you
0:19:31 > 0:19:32start getting winched up.
0:19:32 > 0:19:34There's a lot of noise. A lot of downdraft.
0:19:34 > 0:19:36It's pretty mental and the further up you go,
0:19:36 > 0:19:39the more force you're getting from the downdraft from the rotors and
0:19:39 > 0:19:42the noise is pretty intense.
0:19:42 > 0:19:44And then you're kind of pulled in.
0:19:44 > 0:19:46Next, it's Neil's turn.
0:19:46 > 0:19:49The rescue swimmer from the US Coast Guard beckoned me over and I
0:19:49 > 0:19:53cautiously and timidly jumped into the basket and that was that.
0:19:54 > 0:19:59These pictures show the moment Neil is pulled on board to join James.
0:19:59 > 0:20:01They reach land an hour later.
0:20:01 > 0:20:04And immediately call home.
0:20:04 > 0:20:07James and I are incredibly grateful to the US Coast Guard.
0:20:07 > 0:20:11There was absolutely seamless extraction of two Brits from
0:20:11 > 0:20:15a difficult situation in the middle of the Bering Sea.
0:20:15 > 0:20:20James knows they wouldn't have made it without the US Coast Guard rescue team.
0:20:20 > 0:20:22Obviously very grateful to these guys.
0:20:22 > 0:20:26They're absolute heroes... doing this kind of work.
0:20:26 > 0:20:27They saved our lives.
0:20:39 > 0:20:43In Cullercoats Bay, North Tyneside, 12-year-old schoolboy Leyton
0:20:43 > 0:20:48has plunged down a cliff face, landing on concrete sea defences below.
0:20:48 > 0:20:50He's critically injured.
0:20:50 > 0:20:54Emergency services are at the scene and the young boy's father has arrived.
0:20:56 > 0:20:59I think I went into a little bit of shock, to be honest.
0:20:59 > 0:21:01I can't remember a lot of it. I was trying to reassure him, telling him
0:21:01 > 0:21:05that the people at the emergency services would look after him. He'd be absolutely fine.
0:21:05 > 0:21:08And I was thinking, "I am lying to him."
0:21:08 > 0:21:12The first medic to reach Leyton is Steve Mills,
0:21:12 > 0:21:14a rapid response paramedic.
0:21:14 > 0:21:18When we first arrived, Leyton was lying on the concrete, quite agitated,
0:21:18 > 0:21:20clearly seriously injured.
0:21:20 > 0:21:23So, very quickly we started to prioritise how we were going to deal
0:21:23 > 0:21:24with Leyton's injuries.
0:21:24 > 0:21:27Because they were clearly time-critical.
0:21:27 > 0:21:31The Great North Air Ambulance has been alerted and lands at the top of the cliff.
0:21:31 > 0:21:34Chris Smith is the doctor on board.
0:21:34 > 0:21:37And when we actually got to Leyton, he was in a very bad way.
0:21:37 > 0:21:40We were worried about head injuries, injuries to his spine.
0:21:40 > 0:21:42Injury to his pelvis.
0:21:42 > 0:21:45He had an obvious deformed femur, as well.
0:21:45 > 0:21:48We also thought he may be bleeding internally.
0:21:50 > 0:21:52Leyton's injuries are life-threatening.
0:21:52 > 0:21:56The doctors and paramedics work quickly to try and stabilise him.
0:21:57 > 0:22:00Leyton had an injury severity score of 50.
0:22:00 > 0:22:03Anything above 15 is classed as major trauma.
0:22:03 > 0:22:08His injuries are so bad that doctors can't treat him where he fell.
0:22:08 > 0:22:10Leyton's dad is at his side.
0:22:10 > 0:22:13He fears his son's life is slipping away in front of him.
0:22:15 > 0:22:18Looking at him, the list was endless.
0:22:18 > 0:22:21It was easier to list the bones on the right side of his body
0:22:21 > 0:22:24that were intact than the ones that weren't,
0:22:24 > 0:22:25because there wasn't many.
0:22:25 > 0:22:30If they're going to save the young boy the medics need more space to work.
0:22:30 > 0:22:36These photos taken by a passer-by show them moving Leyton along the narrow sea defence.
0:22:36 > 0:22:39They wanted to put him onto a board to carry him.
0:22:39 > 0:22:43The screams were horrific from when, as soon as it touched his legs,
0:22:43 > 0:22:46it was a horrible sound.
0:22:46 > 0:22:49Behind a screen erected by firefighters,
0:22:49 > 0:22:54air ambulance doctor Chris puts the youngster into an induced coma.
0:22:56 > 0:22:59Effectively, what we're doing is stopping someone from breathing
0:22:59 > 0:23:04and then artificially breathing for them and so if that procedure goes wrong,
0:23:04 > 0:23:06the patient could die in front of you.
0:23:08 > 0:23:11A devastated Mark looks on.
0:23:11 > 0:23:13I honestly thought when he did shut his eyes,
0:23:13 > 0:23:18that was like the final goodbye. I really did.
0:23:18 > 0:23:19It was a hard time.
0:23:24 > 0:23:30The team of paramedics and doctors start to work on Leyton's numerous injuries.
0:23:30 > 0:23:32He was given drugs and blood.
0:23:32 > 0:23:35He had his fractures stabilised.
0:23:35 > 0:23:37So he had a pelvic splint applied.
0:23:37 > 0:23:40He had a traction splint applied to one of his legs.
0:23:40 > 0:23:44Now they need to get the boy to hospital for highly specialist care.
0:23:46 > 0:23:48It takes nine men to lift Leyton,
0:23:48 > 0:23:53strapped to a stretcher up the 50 steep concrete steps to the cliff top.
0:23:55 > 0:23:59CCTV footage shows him being carried down the path,
0:23:59 > 0:24:02surrounded by the emergency services.
0:24:02 > 0:24:05His forlorn father follows behind.
0:24:07 > 0:24:08The feeling you get...
0:24:09 > 0:24:12..the emptiness. You feel so useless.
0:24:14 > 0:24:17You should be doing something. There's nothing you can do.
0:24:21 > 0:24:24Leyton is carefully loaded onto the waiting air ambulance
0:24:24 > 0:24:27and the pilot prepares for takeoff.
0:24:29 > 0:24:33It would have taken an ambulance crew probably around half an hour to actually transfer him to hospital.
0:24:33 > 0:24:38Within that time, Leyton may have lost his airway reflex.
0:24:38 > 0:24:41His brain injury could have become worse and he could have died.
0:24:43 > 0:24:47But it takes only seven minutes for the helicopter to reach Newcastle's
0:24:47 > 0:24:51Royal Victoria Infirmary, a specialist trauma centre.
0:24:51 > 0:24:54The emergency department team is waiting.
0:24:54 > 0:24:58Ian Johnston is the duty consultant in paediatric intensive care.
0:24:58 > 0:25:00He would have gone into the emergency department,
0:25:00 > 0:25:02into what we call resus for the serious cases.
0:25:02 > 0:25:06He would have been subject to a multitude of specialists surrounding him.
0:25:06 > 0:25:09When Leyton's mum and dad arrive at the hospital,
0:25:09 > 0:25:13their son's life is still hanging in the balance.
0:25:13 > 0:25:16A consultant came through a few hours later to speak to us.
0:25:16 > 0:25:20Started listing Leyton's injuries from his first, sort of, scans.
0:25:20 > 0:25:22We asked if he'd survive. Said they don't know.
0:25:24 > 0:25:29Those injuries include a shattered skull, five broken ribs,
0:25:29 > 0:25:33a broken femur, pelvis and collarbone.
0:25:36 > 0:25:39Leyton is kept in an induced coma for four days,
0:25:39 > 0:25:43then the doctors take the decision to turn off his sedation
0:25:43 > 0:25:45and allow him to come round.
0:25:47 > 0:25:50He woke up very quickly after we'd taken the sedatives off.
0:25:50 > 0:25:52And whilst he was a little bit sore,
0:25:52 > 0:25:54as you might imagine, and a little bit disorientated,
0:25:54 > 0:25:57we were really pleased with how his neurology was,
0:25:57 > 0:26:00which is a reflection of how well his brain's working.
0:26:00 > 0:26:03Leyton is going to survive.
0:26:03 > 0:26:06Doctors break the wonderful news to his mum and dad.
0:26:09 > 0:26:12And at that point, I think the shock stops and the emotion starts...
0:26:13 > 0:26:15..and reality kicks in of what's actually happened.
0:26:15 > 0:26:19I was hysterically ecstatic, and the next question was,
0:26:19 > 0:26:21what state will he be? Will he be able to walk again?
0:26:21 > 0:26:25Will he talk? Will he have permanent brain damage?
0:26:25 > 0:26:26We didn't know.
0:26:27 > 0:26:32After just five days in intensive care, Leyton is moved to a general ward,
0:26:32 > 0:26:34where he starts his rehabilitation.
0:26:34 > 0:26:39Clare McClenan, a senior paediatric physio, is Leyton's therapist.
0:26:39 > 0:26:42The day I first met him on the ward I was just surprised, because his dad had said,
0:26:42 > 0:26:44when do you think he's going to be able to get back to running,
0:26:44 > 0:26:46and when do you think he's going to play football?
0:26:46 > 0:26:50I remember thinking, "Wow, we've got a long way before we get to there."
0:26:50 > 0:26:55Clare predicts it will take about two months of intensive daily physio
0:26:55 > 0:26:57to give Leyton any chance of walking again.
0:26:57 > 0:27:00However, he has other ideas.
0:27:02 > 0:27:04He was just, yeah, remarkable,
0:27:04 > 0:27:07considering the number of injuries and the nature of his fall,
0:27:07 > 0:27:09he was making progress day by day.
0:27:11 > 0:27:17Amazingly, just 15 days after his accident, Leyton is allowed home.
0:27:17 > 0:27:19Thought I wasn't going to talk again.
0:27:19 > 0:27:23I thought I wasn't going to do anything again the same as what I was
0:27:23 > 0:27:25and I thought I was going to be disabled.
0:27:25 > 0:27:27I thought I was never going to make it.
0:27:27 > 0:27:30So they nicknamed me Miracle Boy.
0:27:30 > 0:27:33All the money in the world couldn't buy the feeling that you get the day
0:27:33 > 0:27:35you come home and...
0:27:36 > 0:27:38..you know he's going to be OK.
0:27:40 > 0:27:44Now, Leyton's only permanent injury is the loss of hearing in his right ear.
0:27:44 > 0:27:48An unbelievable result that none of those involved in his rescue
0:27:48 > 0:27:50would have predicted.
0:27:50 > 0:27:53Leyton is probably within the 10% of patients that
0:27:53 > 0:27:58we see every year who are the most severely injured.
0:27:58 > 0:28:01They would normally die with the injury profile that they have.
0:28:01 > 0:28:04So he was incredibly lucky to survive.
0:28:04 > 0:28:05I feel like the luckiest person in the world.
0:28:16 > 0:28:19And the good news is Leyton's back to playing football, too.
0:28:19 > 0:28:21See you next time on Close Calls.
0:29:00 > 0:29:03When it came to my TV habits, I'd watch anything.