0:00:02 > 0:00:06Every time a 999 call is made, our rescue services are ready to react.
0:00:06 > 0:00:12They need skill and speed - every second counts when rushing to a call or speeding someone to safety.
0:00:12 > 0:00:16Tonight we get closer than ever to the emergency frontline.
0:00:16 > 0:00:19This is Real Rescues.
0:00:35 > 0:00:37Tonight, Richard is having a heart attack.
0:00:37 > 0:00:40His treatment is about to break a few records.
0:00:40 > 0:00:44He'll be undergoing life-saving surgery within 20 minutes.
0:00:44 > 0:00:50We're holding off with these drugs as we're going straight into surgery.
0:00:50 > 0:00:56A family day out comes to a terrifying end when their car spins across three lanes,
0:00:56 > 0:01:00leaving Mum worried sick about her five-week-old baby.
0:01:00 > 0:01:04We've got an ambulance coming. Calm down.
0:01:04 > 0:01:07And a cat on a high town roof.
0:01:07 > 0:01:12Bobby the escapologist puts the professionals through their paces.
0:01:12 > 0:01:15Here he goes. He's off now. He's gone!
0:01:18 > 0:01:23A ambulance is like a compact and mobile A&E department.
0:01:23 > 0:01:28In an emergency, they have all the equipment needed to check out what's happening to our bodies.
0:01:28 > 0:01:35The rescue we're about to see shows what happens inside when a patient is having a heart attack.
0:01:37 > 0:01:42Four highly-trained ambulance crew are working flat out to save this man's life.
0:01:46 > 0:01:51- My colleague said that you had been jogging. Had you?- Yeah.- Right, OK.
0:01:51 > 0:01:53- And what happened?- I was fine.
0:01:53 > 0:01:59- Right.- I came in, had a cup of tea, had a shower and a shave... - Right.
0:01:59 > 0:02:04- I started to get undressed and I got this pain in my chest.- OK.
0:02:05 > 0:02:07Richard is in pain.
0:02:07 > 0:02:11He's 64 and a TV presenter with British Forces Broadcasting.
0:02:11 > 0:02:17- Can I lie down, please? - Can you lean forward a wee bit? That's it.
0:02:17 > 0:02:20The crew are getting an electrical reading from Richard's heart.
0:02:20 > 0:02:25Looking at our ECG, it indicates that you've had a heart attack.
0:02:25 > 0:02:29As I explained, we've got some drugs that we can give you now
0:02:29 > 0:02:35- to start busting those clots. OK? - So the treatment can get started right away.
0:02:35 > 0:02:40The clot-busting drugs could save Richard's life, but they're not without risk.
0:02:40 > 0:02:44Paramedic Lucy Dobson must explain the possible side effects of this drug.
0:02:44 > 0:02:50The biggest risk is stroke, for 1 patient in 200...
0:02:50 > 0:02:52I don't think I want the injection.
0:02:52 > 0:02:57The ambulance crew must abide by Richard's decision not to have the injection.
0:02:57 > 0:03:01- Now his wife Claire has arrived. - Hello!
0:03:01 > 0:03:07- Hello! - You just got here in time. We're taking Richard to QA's Hospital.
0:03:07 > 0:03:10It's very clear that you've had a heart attack.
0:03:10 > 0:03:16It's your right, but you've declined for us to give you the drugs to blast the clots out.
0:03:16 > 0:03:21What? He's declined? They said I could have a stroke.
0:03:21 > 0:03:22It's a side effect.
0:03:22 > 0:03:26As Claire is updated, the matter of the drug becomes irrelevant.
0:03:26 > 0:03:31The hospital had radioed through. The cardiology team has a slot free.
0:03:31 > 0:03:36If they can get him there quickly enough, he can go straight to theatre.
0:03:42 > 0:03:50I've spoken to the consultant at the hospital and we're going straight to the lab.
0:03:50 > 0:03:53They put wire from your groin into the artery,
0:03:53 > 0:03:57and then they, basically, blast it away.
0:03:57 > 0:04:01- All right.- That's if I really have had a heart attack!- You have.
0:04:01 > 0:04:08It's a lot for Richard and Claire to take in. Every minute, Richard's heart could be dying.
0:04:08 > 0:04:12For now, the crew have done all they can.
0:04:12 > 0:04:16We've caught everything in time. We got there quickly, done our bit.
0:04:16 > 0:04:20- They'll do their bit and you'll be up and jumping around.- I hope so.
0:04:21 > 0:04:24We'll hand over in there.
0:04:24 > 0:04:31Cardiologist Dr Philip Strike and his team are waiting for Richard as he arrives at the hospital.
0:04:31 > 0:04:34His life is now in their hands.
0:04:34 > 0:04:40We'll stay with Richard as they carry out the surgery that he so urgently needs.
0:04:48 > 0:04:55It's a filthy day. Traffic cop Jerry Bryan is on his way to a car that's aquaplaned across the motorway.
0:04:55 > 0:04:59All we know is the car hit the central res...
0:04:59 > 0:05:02and now it's gone up the bank.
0:05:05 > 0:05:09Foxtrot Sierra Double One, over.
0:05:09 > 0:05:14The breakdown truck is already on the scene. They saw the accident happen.
0:05:14 > 0:05:16A car has hit water on the road
0:05:16 > 0:05:23and spun across three motorway lanes, ending up behind the barrier facing the other way.
0:05:23 > 0:05:28Inside the car was a young family, including a four-year-old girl and a young baby.
0:05:28 > 0:05:35The children and Dad are taking refuge in the breakdown truck, but Mum Kelly is beside herself.
0:05:39 > 0:05:42We've got an ambulance coming. Calm down.
0:05:42 > 0:05:45- Five-week-old or five-month-old? - Five weeks!
0:05:48 > 0:05:50It's a five-week-old baby, yeah.
0:05:50 > 0:05:57The car is severely damaged. It somehow smashed through the end of the barrier and up the bank.
0:05:57 > 0:06:03The tiny baby and the rest of the family are waiting in the recovery vehicle for the ambulance crew.
0:06:03 > 0:06:08Only then will they be reassured that their newborn has escaped injury.
0:06:08 > 0:06:14Jerry needs to close down lane one so that the emergency services have space to work in safety.
0:06:18 > 0:06:22It's no easy job in these conditions.
0:06:23 > 0:06:27I may need your help when the ambulance comes!
0:06:27 > 0:06:34- Paramedic Georgina McDonald has arrived in the rapid response vehicle.- They've actually hit
0:06:34 > 0:06:40the end of the barrier. You know these new ends? She ripped off the end of the car on that.
0:06:41 > 0:06:49It's an excessively hard front impact. We're a bit concerned. The five-week-old is very quiet.
0:06:49 > 0:06:55The paramedics are looking after the baby, so Jerry can now get on with finding out what happened.
0:06:55 > 0:06:59- Did you roll at all? - I haven't got a clue, to be honest.
0:06:59 > 0:07:05We know you've hit the end of here cos you can see the marks.
0:07:05 > 0:07:11- I'm not trying to catch you out. What speed were you doing?- I'm not sure. I wasn't going stupid speeds.
0:07:11 > 0:07:16Cos they will ask because of this. They'll want to know for your kid.
0:07:16 > 0:07:21- How are you doing? Are you hurt in any way?- No, my neck's a bit stiff.- We'll get you checked out.
0:07:21 > 0:07:24We've got a couple of ambulance people. That's more important.
0:07:24 > 0:07:31They'll sort it. Let's get you done now as well for your neck. That's a hard impact.
0:07:33 > 0:07:38Two doctors have arrived and are attending to Kelly and her children.
0:07:38 > 0:07:45- How did the car actually...? - They hit that end of the barrier and it's spun them.
0:07:45 > 0:07:49He's come up sideways, backwards. You can see some tyre marks.
0:07:49 > 0:07:54- Lucky. Lucky that they're not like that.- Yeah.
0:07:54 > 0:07:58- They're very shocked, but... - Shaken, but not stirred.
0:07:58 > 0:08:05It looks like they've been incredibly lucky. The doctors are both happy that they're all OK.
0:08:05 > 0:08:09The five-week-old baby has been oblivious throughout all the drama.
0:08:09 > 0:08:15It shows that a car can survive quite major impact
0:08:15 > 0:08:20and protect the occupants, as long as people are wearing their seatbelts
0:08:20 > 0:08:24and the children are in proper car seats, properly belted in.
0:08:24 > 0:08:31There's a huge sense of relief. What could have been a family tragedy ended up with no serious casualties.
0:08:31 > 0:08:33You all right?
0:08:33 > 0:08:36You've been very brave.
0:08:36 > 0:08:42- Aren't you? I'll shut this door, keep you warm. - Thank you.- No problem at all.
0:08:42 > 0:08:48With the family safe, Jerry just has to concentrate on getting the road cleared.
0:08:48 > 0:08:52Luckily, no-one was injured. Just barrier damage.
0:08:52 > 0:08:57And the car. Barriers, cars, they can be replaced. People can't.
0:09:07 > 0:09:10We're with the Great North Air Ambulance at Durham Tees Valley Airport.
0:09:13 > 0:09:18Nearly a quarter of all the rescues they attend involve motorcyclists,
0:09:18 > 0:09:21and they're heading out to another one now.
0:09:21 > 0:09:24Reports of one patient with a serious head injury
0:09:24 > 0:09:26and a large open wound to his neck.
0:09:26 > 0:09:28There is a road crew on scene,
0:09:28 > 0:09:30and they are requesting air support.
0:09:30 > 0:09:34So approximately about 17 to 18 minutes' flight away from Teesside.
0:09:38 > 0:09:41The scene of the crash is obscured by trees.
0:09:41 > 0:09:45As they get nearer, Paul and pilot Matt Takin
0:09:45 > 0:09:49look for a landing place as close as possible to their patient.
0:09:49 > 0:09:51What I'll do is we'll relocate.
0:09:51 > 0:09:57If you drop me off here, I'll get the police to shut the road off and we'll relocate.
0:09:57 > 0:10:00- Good to go?- Good to go, mate. - Thank you.
0:10:09 > 0:10:16Matt drops Paul off at a nearby field and then waits till the police have closed the road completely.
0:10:17 > 0:10:21He's then able to put down on a bridge a few yards from the scene.
0:10:24 > 0:10:29Inside the ambulance, the crew are fighting to save biker Keith Nixon's life.
0:10:29 > 0:10:33His lung has collapsed and he's bleeding from the neck and thigh.
0:10:33 > 0:10:35Paul gets stuck in to help them straightaway.
0:10:35 > 0:10:37His lung has actually collapsed,
0:10:37 > 0:10:40but the cavity was still filling with air.
0:10:40 > 0:10:42It is a life threatening condition.
0:10:42 > 0:10:45We've got to do a procedure where we've got to decompress the chest
0:10:45 > 0:10:48with a large bore needle and let the air out.
0:10:48 > 0:10:52Hopefully that will help with his breathing.
0:10:52 > 0:10:55I want to put a pelvic on him.
0:10:55 > 0:10:57You want a SAM splint?
0:10:57 > 0:11:00Gordon gets the SAM splint from his bag.
0:11:00 > 0:11:03They're used for keeping the pelvis immobile.
0:11:06 > 0:11:10Once we cut his leathers off, we also found wounds to his right groin.
0:11:10 > 0:11:12That was bleeding quite profusely.
0:11:12 > 0:11:15So we had to dress them as well, as quickly as possible.
0:11:15 > 0:11:19They've got very little time to work with.
0:11:19 > 0:11:22Keith's losing blood fast from an arterial wound.
0:11:22 > 0:11:25They know it's painful but his groans are a good sign.
0:11:25 > 0:11:26At least he's conscious.
0:11:26 > 0:11:29I'll just put a belt on you.
0:11:29 > 0:11:31HE GROANS
0:11:31 > 0:11:34All right, you're all right.
0:11:34 > 0:11:38They've done all they can for Keith at the scene.
0:11:38 > 0:11:41Paul radios details of his injuries to their colleague,
0:11:41 > 0:11:42who will alert the hospital.
0:11:42 > 0:11:46He's got a deep laceration to his left side neck,
0:11:46 > 0:11:51deep laceration to his right femoral groin area.
0:11:51 > 0:11:53Query fractured pelvis.
0:11:53 > 0:11:57ETA approximately 15 minutes, over.
0:11:57 > 0:11:59'Yeah, I've got them on standby.'
0:11:59 > 0:12:02Thanks, Jane.
0:12:02 > 0:12:04- Lift.- Sorry, mate.
0:12:07 > 0:12:09- Slide him along.- Excellent.
0:12:09 > 0:12:14They're still working as fast as they possibly can and Keith's beginning to respond,
0:12:14 > 0:12:16but there's one more thing they need to do
0:12:16 > 0:12:19before he can go onboard the helicopter.
0:12:23 > 0:12:26Not your arm, it's your leathers!
0:12:26 > 0:12:29His observations are stable at the moment.
0:12:29 > 0:12:32His blood pressure is raising up, which we are pleased about.
0:12:32 > 0:12:34We need to get him in as soon as possible, to see the surgeons
0:12:34 > 0:12:37about these cuts and this problem with his chest and pelvis.
0:12:37 > 0:12:39Open your eyes for me.
0:12:39 > 0:12:42Keith's now stable enough for the journey.
0:12:42 > 0:12:43Right, let's go.
0:12:50 > 0:12:55They're on their way to a hospital where the injured biker will need emergency surgery.
0:12:57 > 0:13:01Back at the scene, they've discovered what caused the crash.
0:13:01 > 0:13:04He's took the bend but there was
0:13:04 > 0:13:08a sort of log, or a bit of debris in the middle of the road.
0:13:08 > 0:13:10He's hit that which has made the bike wobble
0:13:10 > 0:13:15and he's managed to slide down the road as the bike's hit the tree. He's lucky he came off the bike
0:13:15 > 0:13:19before he hit the tree because his injuries would have been a lot worse if he had hit the tree.
0:13:19 > 0:13:20Keith's being well looked after.
0:13:20 > 0:13:25We'll be getting a bulletin on his progress from the hospital.
0:13:32 > 0:13:39We're back with 64-year-old Richard Astbury. Less than an hour ago, he started to have chest pains.
0:13:39 > 0:13:43- I can't believe I'm having a heart attack!- We're going to just wire you up and have a look.
0:13:43 > 0:13:49- Dr Philip Strike is in charge. - We'll take some pictures of the coronary artery,
0:13:49 > 0:13:56see where they're blocked and aim to stretch it open with a balloon and put a stent in.
0:13:56 > 0:14:01With their part complete, the ambulance crew can now relax.
0:14:01 > 0:14:06Thank you. I'm really grateful for all you've done.
0:14:06 > 0:14:12Unusually, they get the chance to see this treatment through from behind the control room screen.
0:14:12 > 0:14:18Richard has been given a local anaesthetic, but he's still wide awake and talking.
0:14:18 > 0:14:20Moving his legs is giving them problems.
0:14:20 > 0:14:25- You're fighting me and making my life much more difficult.- Sorry.
0:14:25 > 0:14:31Philip is trying to feed a wire into Richard's groin to do the angioplasty.
0:14:33 > 0:14:39- Is that just where the block is? Ah, right. You can see it. - Yeah, there it is.
0:14:39 > 0:14:43There can now be no doubt at all that Richard's heart attack is real.
0:14:43 > 0:14:48The main artery down the front of his heart is totally blocked.
0:14:48 > 0:14:51The next job is to open it up.
0:14:51 > 0:14:58On the monitor, the special balloon inserted into the artery to stretch it is clearly visible.
0:14:58 > 0:15:02We're doing very nicely. We're very happy.
0:15:02 > 0:15:08- We've got that blocked artery open. Lovely.- I'm behaving all right? - You're behaving.
0:15:08 > 0:15:13They then use a special catheter to suck the blood clot out.
0:15:16 > 0:15:20It's amazing, isn't it?
0:15:22 > 0:15:24The artery is now completely clear.
0:15:24 > 0:15:26How are you?
0:15:26 > 0:15:31Is that pain any better? It should be.
0:15:31 > 0:15:35That artery's wide open now. We're very happy.
0:15:35 > 0:15:40Next the surgeons need to check how strongly Richard's heart is beating.
0:15:40 > 0:15:42There's a hot flush coming your way.
0:15:43 > 0:15:49They're pushing X-ray dye into the heart's main pumping chamber to make sure all is well.
0:15:49 > 0:15:53That's it finished, OK? Good.
0:15:53 > 0:15:55So you did have a heart attack.
0:15:56 > 0:16:01And the main artery down the front of your heart was blocked.
0:16:01 > 0:16:04But you could get a bus down it now.
0:16:06 > 0:16:11Richard's been given his life back, but will have to change it as well. We'll talk to him later.
0:16:11 > 0:16:14That was a frightening experience.
0:16:14 > 0:16:18Well, they said I could have died!
0:16:21 > 0:16:25Fire crews are trained to rescue people trapped in all kinds of situations.
0:16:25 > 0:16:28They even have a specialist animal rescue unit.
0:16:28 > 0:16:32Of course the fire crews get a lot of stick for rescuing cats stuck up trees but, if you think about it,
0:16:32 > 0:16:38it's good training for them especially when the cat has decided to climb to this kind of height.
0:16:43 > 0:16:50Animal rescue specialist Jim Green is heading out to Portsmouth after a call from the RSPCA.
0:16:50 > 0:16:56Not for the first time, a cat is stuck, this one is about 40 ft up on the roof of a three-storey house.
0:16:58 > 0:17:03Jim arrives at the residential street in Southsea, where he's met by Karen Gregor from the RSPCA.
0:17:03 > 0:17:06- This one here?- Yeah.
0:17:06 > 0:17:10She shows him where Bobby the cat is. It's hard enough to spot him, let alone get to him.
0:17:10 > 0:17:12Bobby is only a year old.
0:17:12 > 0:17:16Owner Felicity Crabbe has already spent one anxious night.
0:17:16 > 0:17:20The reason why he got out is we moved in on Saturday and he escaped.
0:17:20 > 0:17:23I don't know how he got out but he got out and I know you're meant
0:17:23 > 0:17:26to keep them in for a week but he came back so I thought,
0:17:26 > 0:17:30"There's no point keeping him as he's already been out and he's come back." We let him out yesterday
0:17:30 > 0:17:34and it got to six o'clock and I was worried because he's in by then for his dinner.
0:17:34 > 0:17:36Then we came out and we heard him meowing,
0:17:36 > 0:17:42so I phoned the RSPCA and they said to leave some food out and hopefully he'd come down and he didn't.
0:17:42 > 0:17:45And here we are.
0:17:46 > 0:17:50Jim realises there's nothing else to do but get a ladder up to him.
0:17:50 > 0:17:52Probably be a 135 for that one.
0:17:52 > 0:17:56- How friendly is he? - Oh, he's very friendly, yeah.
0:17:56 > 0:18:01That's going to be quite an entertaining ladder pitch for the boys to get them out in.
0:18:01 > 0:18:05We've got a cat on a chimney and I don't think there's any chance of it coming down on its own,
0:18:05 > 0:18:08so I think I'm going to need a ladder, actually.
0:18:08 > 0:18:13So this cat is going to cause a bit of work for a whole fire crew.
0:18:13 > 0:18:15Sometimes putting a ladder up
0:18:15 > 0:18:18is enough to shift the cat and make it realise
0:18:18 > 0:18:21actually it can work its own way down.
0:18:21 > 0:18:24Now the fire crews have arrived, Bobby is beginning to take some interest
0:18:24 > 0:18:26in all the goings on.
0:18:26 > 0:18:29This might seem...why are we wasting all these resources on a cat,
0:18:29 > 0:18:33in actual fact it's good training for the fire-fighters because
0:18:33 > 0:18:36when they do training in their fire stations and drill yards,
0:18:36 > 0:18:38they have a nice tower to pitch ladders up against
0:18:38 > 0:18:41but in reality, some of these are quite tricky to do.
0:18:41 > 0:18:43You're nowhere near it yet, fellas.
0:18:45 > 0:18:48Good, that sounds like it.
0:18:48 > 0:18:53Very carefully, the almost fully extended ladder is lowered on to the stack.
0:18:53 > 0:18:58Now Jim has to head up there. Bobby seems to be lying low.
0:18:58 > 0:19:04Jim pulls up a cat basket but getting Bobby into it is going to take a lot of coaxing.
0:19:04 > 0:19:05Hello, puss, puss.
0:19:05 > 0:19:08Hello, puss.
0:19:08 > 0:19:10Are you coming?
0:19:10 > 0:19:13Come on, then.
0:19:13 > 0:19:16Jim gets on first-name terms, but to no avail.
0:19:16 > 0:19:19Come on, Bobby, come on, Bobby.
0:19:19 > 0:19:23He needs to lift him up, but he isn't quite high enough
0:19:23 > 0:19:25to be able to reach him up.
0:19:25 > 0:19:27Come on, Bobby.
0:19:27 > 0:19:29It splayed its back legs out
0:19:29 > 0:19:32and wouldn't come through the chimney,
0:19:32 > 0:19:37so we thought it was going to become a bit more of a drama.
0:19:37 > 0:19:40The safety of Jim and his team is paramount
0:19:40 > 0:19:44so they're calling in another engine with a hydraulic turntable platform.
0:19:44 > 0:19:47In the meantime Jim heads back up, armed with goodies.
0:19:47 > 0:19:51Down below, Bobby's exploits are attracting quite a bit of attention.
0:19:51 > 0:19:55The aerial ladder is on the scene and swings into action.
0:19:55 > 0:19:59Once they can get above the chimney pots, this rescue should be quite straightforward.
0:19:59 > 0:20:01Hello, puss.
0:20:01 > 0:20:04There he goes, he's off now, He's gone!
0:20:04 > 0:20:07But no, Bobby's got other ideas.
0:20:07 > 0:20:11The cat decided to launch itself across onto the chimney stack on the rear of the buildings.
0:20:11 > 0:20:15I knew the access was diabolical from that side so I was not impressed.
0:20:15 > 0:20:17This is what happens when you work with animals.
0:20:17 > 0:20:21You can't communicate with them or tell them what you're going to do,
0:20:21 > 0:20:23you can't ask them to do things for you, you just have to react to their reactions.
0:20:23 > 0:20:26Felicity looks on.
0:20:26 > 0:20:29It could be some time before Bobby is grounded.
0:20:29 > 0:20:32We'll be back as Jim and the team try a different approach.
0:20:32 > 0:20:35They're going to surround him.
0:20:38 > 0:20:44In the hospital cath lab, heart attack patient Richard Astbury
0:20:44 > 0:20:48recovers from an emergency procedure.
0:20:48 > 0:20:52- Did you see much of what happened? - Yes, we saw the whole thing.
0:20:52 > 0:20:58Did you, really? I'm very glad I didn't. I'm a bit squeamish.
0:20:58 > 0:21:04It's less than an hour since he first had chest pains and already he's getting back to his old self.
0:21:04 > 0:21:10- Past medical problems? Diabetes?- No. - High blood pressure? - I have diabetes insipidus.
0:21:10 > 0:21:16- Very different from sugar diabetes. - I know what it is. High blood pressure? High cholesterol?
0:21:16 > 0:21:20Well, yes, but it... it's under control because of the medication I take.
0:21:20 > 0:21:26- Any heart disease in the family? - No. I like a drop of gin.- OK.
0:21:26 > 0:21:30- Not today.- No! - All right. Thanks very much.
0:21:30 > 0:21:34It's been a life-changing experience for Richard.
0:21:34 > 0:21:38'I was frightened. I was very frightened indeed.'
0:21:38 > 0:21:42I'd been told I was having a heart attack.
0:21:42 > 0:21:47First thing I ask myself is am I going to be able to work again?
0:21:47 > 0:21:49Can I walk again?
0:21:49 > 0:21:55And the biggest thing that frightens me now, even now, after the heart attack, is
0:21:55 > 0:21:58is it likely to happen again?
0:21:58 > 0:22:04Well, there seems every reason to be optimistic. Surgeon Phil Strike explains how the operation
0:22:04 > 0:22:10has not just unblocked an artery, but has substantially limited permanent long-term damage.
0:22:10 > 0:22:16This is his left coronary artery and this artery runs down the front of the heart.
0:22:16 > 0:22:20And there's an area here which is very severely narrowed and virtually blocked.
0:22:20 > 0:22:22If we then just show you how we left it at the end...
0:22:22 > 0:22:26We've opened that area completely and there's a stent in there.
0:22:26 > 0:22:30Nice flow down that artery, all the way down,
0:22:30 > 0:22:34and we've put a balloon in here, which is better. It's not perfect,
0:22:34 > 0:22:41but we have a good result in this vessel. That'll keep him alive and stop further heart attacks.
0:22:41 > 0:22:47And if we look at his heart at the end of our procedure, the heart is nice and strong,
0:22:47 > 0:22:53it pumps very well. There may be a little area at the bottom damaged.
0:22:53 > 0:22:58The amount of damage he's had is very small, so we're very pleased.
0:22:58 > 0:23:02With any luck, Richard will be back home in a few days' time,
0:23:02 > 0:23:07his heart and health restored by the very prompt actions of our emergency teams.
0:23:14 > 0:23:16Back at a residential street,
0:23:16 > 0:23:19Bobby the one-year-old ginger cat is evading capture.
0:23:19 > 0:23:23Animal specialist Jim Green tried pulling him through the pots, but the gap was too narrow.
0:23:23 > 0:23:26Then they called the hydraulic platform,
0:23:26 > 0:23:29but Bobby scarpered over to the other chimney stack.
0:23:29 > 0:23:32Now Jim and the firefighters are going to try a different approach.
0:23:32 > 0:23:36What we're going to do is put a firefighter between the two chimneys
0:23:36 > 0:23:39so that he can't just keep going backwards and forwards.
0:23:39 > 0:23:42Just to the left of the chimney,
0:23:42 > 0:23:45and if you can get me up higher up, by the pots,
0:23:45 > 0:23:49I can reach over and grab him out of the middle.
0:23:51 > 0:23:54So the third rescue plan swings into action.
0:23:54 > 0:23:58One firefighter is put on the roof at the front of the house
0:23:58 > 0:24:00to stop Bobby heading back to the front chimney,
0:24:00 > 0:24:04while a second is landed on to the top of the dormer by the back stack.
0:24:04 > 0:24:06Mind your head!
0:24:08 > 0:24:11Jim is now overhead with a cat net to flush Bobby out.
0:24:11 > 0:24:14- He's just put his paws out.- Has he got his other one through yet?
0:24:14 > 0:24:17No, he has put both paws over the loop.
0:24:17 > 0:24:20Wait till he comes to you.
0:24:20 > 0:24:21The plan is working.
0:24:21 > 0:24:24Bobby makes a run for the front chimney, but his route is barred.
0:24:24 > 0:24:26Grab him, that's it.
0:24:26 > 0:24:30Round the scruff. Right, just cuddle him up there. Get hold of his scruff.
0:24:32 > 0:24:34Bobby is caught.
0:24:34 > 0:24:36Now, just pull it. That's it.
0:24:38 > 0:24:41BOBBY MIAOWS
0:24:42 > 0:24:46- Don't drop it! - CHEERING FROM BELOW
0:24:46 > 0:24:48Bobby's getting pretty vocal,
0:24:48 > 0:24:51but his rescue is met with applause from down below.
0:24:51 > 0:24:52We'll come back for you.
0:25:08 > 0:25:12- Cheers.- Karen is not risking releasing Bobby outside again,
0:25:12 > 0:25:16so she carries him back home for a reunion with owner Felicity.
0:25:16 > 0:25:20- Shall I shut that door? - Shut the door, just in case!
0:25:23 > 0:25:25Good boy!
0:25:27 > 0:25:30Hello.
0:25:30 > 0:25:32Don't do it again!
0:25:34 > 0:25:37Bobby! Good boy.
0:25:37 > 0:25:40Bobby is none the worse for his adventure, and it's just up to
0:25:40 > 0:25:43Felicity to say her thank-yous on his behalf.
0:25:47 > 0:25:49No problem at all.
0:25:49 > 0:25:52Obviously we were relieved we managed to get the cat off the roof,
0:25:52 > 0:25:55and the owner's response is always good
0:25:55 > 0:25:59and we're always quite happy to see them smiling.
0:25:59 > 0:26:03The firefighters that attended, they'd had a different afternoon,
0:26:03 > 0:26:06shall we say? Learned a few bits.
0:26:06 > 0:26:09- A good job.- Hopefully he'll have learnt his lesson,
0:26:09 > 0:26:12but you never know with cats. He's only young.
0:26:12 > 0:26:14Maybe that was one of his nine lives.
0:26:19 > 0:26:23Now we can catch up with the people involved in tonight's other rescues.
0:26:23 > 0:26:27Keith Nixon, the motorcyclist who came off his bike after hitting a log
0:26:27 > 0:26:30suffered a broken collar bone, shoulder blade,
0:26:30 > 0:26:33a large laceration to his neck, as well as a collapsed lung.
0:26:33 > 0:26:38He had emergency surgery and was in the high dependency unit of Newcastle General Hospital
0:26:38 > 0:26:42for a week, and on a ward for a further two weeks.
0:26:42 > 0:26:45He can't thank the emergency services enough.
0:26:45 > 0:26:48Without them, he says, he wouldn't be alive.
0:26:48 > 0:26:53And how are the Hill family recovering after their car spun so far across the motorway
0:26:53 > 0:26:56it ended up behind the crash barrier?
0:26:56 > 0:26:58Dad Matthew was driving.
0:26:58 > 0:27:01We crossed every lane of the motorway.
0:27:01 > 0:27:04It was like we were on ice and totally out of control.
0:27:04 > 0:27:08When it started to spin, I thought we were all dead.
0:27:08 > 0:27:09There was no two ways about it.
0:27:09 > 0:27:12Miraculously, none of the family was injured,
0:27:12 > 0:27:15and five-week-old Macy slept through it all.
0:27:15 > 0:27:17Mum Kelly is incredulous at their escape.
0:27:17 > 0:27:21I think unless you've been in an accident like that,
0:27:21 > 0:27:24you don't really appreciate how much things mean to you
0:27:24 > 0:27:28and the time you've got to think about it.
0:27:28 > 0:27:33It's scary and I wouldn't ever want to be put in a position like that with anything again.
0:27:36 > 0:27:39And how's Richard after his heart attack?
0:27:39 > 0:27:43He was kept in hospital for three days after the operation
0:27:43 > 0:27:45and he's now recovering well at home.
0:27:45 > 0:27:48He's determined to make a few changes.
0:27:48 > 0:27:50I'm not having my gin,
0:27:50 > 0:27:53I'm cutting down on my consumption of alcohol,
0:27:53 > 0:27:56which was bigger than it should have been.
0:27:56 > 0:27:58So I'm restricting myself
0:27:58 > 0:28:02and I feel slightly as if I'm in a straitjacket of life.
0:28:02 > 0:28:06But I've been told by the cardiologists
0:28:06 > 0:28:09that I'll be back to normal in a few months.
0:28:09 > 0:28:13And it will be a newly reformed Richard.
0:28:13 > 0:28:15This is a big wake-up call.
0:28:22 > 0:28:25Every time you see a blue light or hear a siren,
0:28:25 > 0:28:28the emergency services are on their way to help someone in distress.
0:28:28 > 0:28:33Join me again when we go out on call for more Real Rescues.
0:28:33 > 0:28:36Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:28:36 > 0:28:38Email subtitling@bbc.co.uk