0:00:02 > 0:00:08When you're with someone that's seriously injured, every minute you wait for aid can feel like an hour.
0:00:08 > 0:00:14So a helicopter like this can be one of the most beautiful sights in the world.
0:00:14 > 0:00:20This is the Yorkshire Air Ambulance and their business is saving lives.
0:00:39 > 0:00:43From the dales to the big cities of Leeds and Sheffield,
0:00:43 > 0:00:51patients in the UK's biggest county are ten minutes from a hospital, thanks to this 150mph lifesaver.
0:00:51 > 0:00:56And every day brings a new life or death emergency for its paramedics.
0:00:56 > 0:01:01Two helicopters, four paramedics, five million patients.
0:01:01 > 0:01:06Today on Helicopter Heroes, the team call in reinforcements
0:01:06 > 0:01:10after an injured mountain biker is stranded on a Pennine peak.
0:01:10 > 0:01:18A five-year-old boy has lost part of his ear. But the paramedics think they can save it.
0:01:19 > 0:01:23A vehicle's left the road and he has head injuries.
0:01:23 > 0:01:290 to 60 in four seconds and worth a fortune. But who's going to buy it now?
0:01:29 > 0:01:37And there's a call-out for hospital backroom staff who scramble to help the Helimed team save lives.
0:01:40 > 0:01:48In the Pennines there are huge areas that are inaccessible for anyone without a pair of walking boots,
0:01:48 > 0:01:51a mountain bike or a helicopter.
0:01:51 > 0:01:58It's a beautiful weekend and in the Yorkshire hills, thousands enjoy the weather and the countryside.
0:01:58 > 0:02:05But some are more daring. And that's why a 999 call has just come in from one of the Pennines' highest peaks.
0:02:05 > 0:02:07It's a mountain biker...
0:02:07 > 0:02:15At Air Ambulance HQ, they know sunny weather and weekends means they're going to be busy.
0:02:15 > 0:02:20A call has just come in from a remote and inaccessible fellside.
0:02:20 > 0:02:26It says chest injury. I'm not sure about the ambulance getting to him.
0:02:26 > 0:02:30Stoodley Pike, near Todmorden, is notoriously steep
0:02:30 > 0:02:35and the gradient has caught out a young mountain biker.
0:02:35 > 0:02:42His helmet has saved his head, but he's landed heavily. He hasn't moved since the accident.
0:02:42 > 0:02:44We're going up to Todmorden
0:02:44 > 0:02:49for a male that's come off his mountain bike.
0:02:49 > 0:02:56The crew of Helimed 99 are skilled map readers. And this particular location is causing concern.
0:02:56 > 0:03:00It's really steep, so he could've gone with a fair old bang.
0:03:00 > 0:03:07Hopefully, he's been wearing some protection for his head. But that won't protect the rest of his body.
0:03:07 > 0:03:14The contour lines are packed tightly together and that means their patient is on a steep hillside.
0:03:14 > 0:03:21We can land on a 12 degree slope. Anything more than 12 degrees, I have to fly away from the slope.
0:03:21 > 0:03:27So depending on how steep it is, it may issue us with some dramas.
0:03:27 > 0:03:31It takes ten minutes to reach the scene. But there's a problem.
0:03:31 > 0:03:38The hill is too steep for the helicopter to land. The paramedics know the biker needs medical help.
0:03:38 > 0:03:43It means Darren will have to step out of the helicopter
0:03:43 > 0:03:47while Tim tries to keep it balanced on one landing skid.
0:03:47 > 0:03:50OK, mate, go and help him.
0:03:51 > 0:03:54You've got the bag as well, yeah?
0:03:54 > 0:03:57- On to the step, chief.- OK.
0:03:57 > 0:04:01Darren's relying on Tim to keep the helicopter stable.
0:04:01 > 0:04:04- OK, mate, disconnecting.- OK.
0:04:04 > 0:04:07Right. Thanks a lot.
0:04:07 > 0:04:13Darren's safely down and he can quickly make his way towards the biker,
0:04:13 > 0:04:20while Helimed 99 flies off to a better landing site at the bottom of the hill.
0:04:20 > 0:04:24- Where will we land? - Did anyone see anywhere flat?- No.
0:04:24 > 0:04:31Adam is a keen mountain biker and was testing his skills on a steep track when the accident happened.
0:04:31 > 0:04:33Darren fears a neck injury.
0:04:33 > 0:04:40- Have you any pain at all in your neck?- Try the other side. - The other side?
0:04:40 > 0:04:42- I want to try this side first.- OK.
0:04:42 > 0:04:47The closest Tim can land is at the bottom of the hill.
0:04:49 > 0:04:56- I'll have to put a little needle into your hand...- Oh, no. - It hurts less than that.
0:04:56 > 0:05:03While Darren's treating Adam, a fellow biker shows just how dangerous the path is.
0:05:04 > 0:05:11I'll give you that and the pain will go away. And we can make our way down from here.
0:05:11 > 0:05:13The guy's hurt his shoulder.
0:05:13 > 0:05:18He's possibly hurt his neck, possibly injured his chest as well.
0:05:18 > 0:05:22I'm not going to hurt you, mate. Sharp scratch, mate.
0:05:22 > 0:05:30Adam needs to be checked over in hospital. But the question is how to get him off the hill.
0:05:30 > 0:05:34We've got the mountain rescue team on its way.
0:05:34 > 0:05:41But the nearest mountain rescue team are busy rescuing a stranded walker.
0:05:41 > 0:05:45This is now a real dilemma for Helimed 99's crew.
0:05:45 > 0:05:52Darren thinks it's too dangerous to carry Adam down the slope. But he must get to hospital.
0:05:52 > 0:05:59- Right, Adam, this is just good happy juice.- I know.- OK.
0:05:59 > 0:06:06Darren has a plan. He's spotted a flat piece of ground a few metres from where Adam fell.
0:06:06 > 0:06:11He thinks pilot Tim can land Helimed 99. It's a difficult decision.
0:06:11 > 0:06:17Landing is the most dangerous part of flying a helicopter, especially on steep gradients.
0:06:17 > 0:06:23Tim, where I'm stood, if you come towards me into wind, the wind's at my back now,
0:06:23 > 0:06:26it's probably less than 12 degrees.
0:06:26 > 0:06:30Until we land, we don't know how the skids are gonna settle.
0:06:30 > 0:06:38Tim decides to give it a go and Helimed 99 heads back up the hill for a second time.
0:06:43 > 0:06:46That's a path there, isn't it?
0:06:46 > 0:06:50- It's a hell of an angle. - On the path?- I'm assuming so.
0:06:55 > 0:07:00Darren's marshalling Tim to a piece of flat ground only a few feet wide.
0:07:00 > 0:07:05Tim has to make sure the helicopter won't sink once the engines are off.
0:07:05 > 0:07:09Open your door, mate.
0:07:11 > 0:07:15The skids aren't down yet, mate.
0:07:15 > 0:07:17This is a big test for pilot Tim.
0:07:17 > 0:07:25He's making tiny adjustments to try and manoeuvre the three-ton helicopter into position.
0:07:25 > 0:07:29Can Tim land and help Adam get to hospital?
0:07:37 > 0:07:41- Coming up...- Can he walk? I don't want to come down.
0:07:41 > 0:07:45Pilot Tim must make a difficult decision.
0:07:45 > 0:07:49Dream car to nightmare in a few seconds.
0:07:49 > 0:07:55The driver who was lucky to survive this smash that wrote off a rare sports car.
0:07:55 > 0:07:59It's an absolute urban jungle.
0:07:59 > 0:08:04And I get a pilot's view of one of the UK's most dramatic landing pads.
0:08:09 > 0:08:16Every parent looks out for anything that could injure their children, especially when they're only five.
0:08:16 > 0:08:21But something unpredictable sometimes leads to an awful injury.
0:08:21 > 0:08:26At a riding stables near York, there's been a freak accident.
0:08:26 > 0:08:31It's a wet afternoon at Helimed 99's base at Leeds Bradford Airport.
0:08:31 > 0:08:38Few pilots would choose to fly on a day like this. But the five-year-old accident victim needs help fast.
0:08:38 > 0:08:44There's a young girl, a young child that's five years of age, I think,
0:08:44 > 0:08:50that's had a partial part of her ear bitten off by a horse at a riding stable.
0:08:50 > 0:08:57Paramedic Lee Davison is a father of five and he knows that when a child is the unfortunate victim,
0:08:57 > 0:09:00the job can be very difficult.
0:09:00 > 0:09:04It's not easy circumstances to be working in.
0:09:04 > 0:09:08The parents and the child are distressed.
0:09:08 > 0:09:15The best thing is to get them to somewhere where they can get care as quickly as possible.
0:09:15 > 0:09:17And the air ambulance can do that.
0:09:17 > 0:09:22They can get to York in ten minutes. But when it comes to navigation,
0:09:22 > 0:09:27they're having the same problems as the fast response vehicle.
0:09:27 > 0:09:33The stables are surrounded by farms and it's almost impossible to spot the incident.
0:09:33 > 0:09:40- Take your pick. Which building is it?- There are three farms to choose from.
0:09:40 > 0:09:45Do you see this building here? The long building? It's at two o'clock.
0:09:45 > 0:09:47Side of the road, look.
0:09:47 > 0:09:55Horse bites are very rare but can cause serious injuries. The patient is actually a boy called Joe.
0:09:55 > 0:10:00Soon the crew spots the ambulance and they quickly head to Joe's aid.
0:10:00 > 0:10:07We've had to position quite a distance away because of the horses. We'll just go to where the crew are.
0:10:10 > 0:10:13Are you all right?
0:10:13 > 0:10:18- This is Joe.- Great.- Joe's just been walking past a stable.
0:10:18 > 0:10:25He's five. He was stroking a pony and it just took a liking to his ear.
0:10:25 > 0:10:32The horse has bitten a piece of Joe's ear clean off and it's been lying on the floor for half an hour.
0:10:32 > 0:10:39The paramedics aren't saying it, but this makes it highly unlikely the doctors can re-attach it.
0:10:39 > 0:10:43He's just gonna wrap up the bit of skin.
0:10:43 > 0:10:48Paramedic Liz wants to get Joe to a plastic surgeon as soon as possible.
0:10:48 > 0:10:53But the nearest hospitals don't provide such specialist services.
0:10:54 > 0:11:00- Tim, is there plastics at York or not?- No.- No. We'll take him to LGI.
0:11:00 > 0:11:02There's no plastics at York.
0:11:02 > 0:11:09Lee's plan is to fly Joe to one of the UK's leading plastic surgery centres, Leeds General Infirmary.
0:11:09 > 0:11:16There, plastic surgeon Rob Winterton can give Joe the best chance of avoiding disfigurement.
0:11:16 > 0:11:20We have to think about putting the piece back on
0:11:20 > 0:11:25and trying to prevent any secondary infection. So time is of the essence.
0:11:25 > 0:11:30We'll get him into theatre and try and put the piece back on.
0:11:30 > 0:11:35Helimed 99 is Joe's best hope. But his mum Helen has a dilemma.
0:11:35 > 0:11:42- Have you got other family with you? - It'll take my husband half an hour to get here to pick the girls up.
0:11:42 > 0:11:46There's not enough room in the helicopter for the whole family.
0:11:46 > 0:11:51She must decide whether to let Joe fly in the helicopter on his own.
0:11:51 > 0:11:58The best option is we'll take him. You look after the girls. We're going to Leeds General Infirmary.
0:11:58 > 0:12:05There's nothing to be scared of. You'll have a nice little flight in our helicopter.
0:12:05 > 0:12:13Do you want to swing your legs on to the floor, Joe? You follow me. And your mum will follow in the car.
0:12:13 > 0:12:18Joe's about to become Helimed 99's youngest unaccompanied patient
0:12:18 > 0:12:21after more reassurance from Mum.
0:12:21 > 0:12:23I'll see you at the hospital, OK?
0:12:23 > 0:12:26Your mum will not be long.
0:12:26 > 0:12:31The paramedics know that children who suffer a frightening experience
0:12:31 > 0:12:36can go into shock, but Joe's bravery is amazing the whole crew.
0:12:36 > 0:12:42Yeah, he is brave. I'd be screaming my head off if it was me.
0:12:42 > 0:12:47What do you think of that? A right yellow helicopter!
0:12:48 > 0:12:53Obviously, it's cosmetically a very prominent part of the head.
0:12:53 > 0:12:58In later life, if it's not dealt with properly, it can be a problem,
0:12:58 > 0:13:04and that's not what we want. We want to get him to the best care as quickly as possible.
0:13:04 > 0:13:12Is that OK, Joe? All right. So when you talk, that mic will pick up what you're saying. All right?
0:13:12 > 0:13:19Joe's ready for take-off, but it may be too late. The piece of tissue from Joe's ear is in this glove.
0:13:19 > 0:13:24The chances of surgeons being able to re-attach it are slim.
0:13:28 > 0:13:32Coming up - can surgeons save Joe's ear?
0:13:32 > 0:13:37The race is on to get him to hospital.
0:13:39 > 0:13:42I suggest an area over there.
0:13:42 > 0:13:48The team call in the RAF to help rescue a patient from a Pennine peak.
0:13:48 > 0:13:55And the chopper touches down in the grounds of one of Yorkshire's grandest stately homes.
0:14:00 > 0:14:06This is the Cobra, a super car with incredible performance and a price tag to match.
0:14:06 > 0:14:12But what happens when you have more horse-power than the road can handle?
0:14:12 > 0:14:15He's been very, very lucky.
0:14:15 > 0:14:22For classic car enthusiasts, this is a tragic sight. This AC Cobra's spun off the road and rolled over,
0:14:22 > 0:14:26smashing into a dry-stone wall.
0:14:26 > 0:14:32The sports car is a soft top and doesn't have a roll cage, so the driver could be seriously injured.
0:14:32 > 0:14:37It's the A59 - vehicle overturned with a male trapped.
0:14:37 > 0:14:42Dispatcher Dave knows the driver needs the helicopter's help.
0:14:42 > 0:14:47The accident's happened on a notorious road that he knows well.
0:14:47 > 0:14:52It's going to be overturned on the roundabout. A very fast straight.
0:15:00 > 0:15:07Patients involved in a car crash often have multiple injuries. Often they have head injuries.
0:15:07 > 0:15:09Thankfully we have airbags.
0:15:09 > 0:15:17The crew are unaware that the car has none of the safety features that normally prevent serious injuries.
0:15:17 > 0:15:20This may make their job much harder.
0:15:20 > 0:15:27- I think that looks like it. - Police on scene.- Is it upside down? - Looks like it's upside down.
0:15:27 > 0:15:30- It looks like a big smash. - Yeah, it does.
0:15:30 > 0:15:37Helimed 99 is first to arrive. It's taken just five minutes to get to the scene
0:15:37 > 0:15:40and to the aid of the car's driver.
0:15:40 > 0:15:47A single vehicle has left the road on the near side. This lady is a doctor who's been with him.
0:15:47 > 0:15:52- He's got a nasty head injury, apart from that, not too bad.- OK.
0:15:52 > 0:15:54Hello.
0:15:54 > 0:16:01- Do you need a hand?- Not at this time. Have we got the fire service en route just to make that safe?- Yes.
0:16:01 > 0:16:06Hayden's crawled out of the wreckage and he has nasty injuries.
0:16:06 > 0:16:10- How are you feeling, sir? - Um... A bit cross.
0:16:10 > 0:16:16But he's more worried about his car. He only bought it a few months ago
0:16:16 > 0:16:22and it's been painstakingly maintained. It's also cost £70,000.
0:16:22 > 0:16:28- Any heart problems?- No.- Nothing like that? Normally fit and well?
0:16:28 > 0:16:32The sight is an uncomfortable one for pilot Steve.
0:16:32 > 0:16:37He loves tinkering with engines and owns a classic Datsun.
0:16:37 > 0:16:42It's not the worst thing to happen, but a classic car's got smashed up.
0:16:42 > 0:16:47Except for a few cuts, Hayden's had an astonishing escape.
0:16:47 > 0:16:53Well done for getting out of that. We're just going to put this over your head.
0:16:53 > 0:16:59His car was completely original with no impact protection or airbags.
0:16:59 > 0:17:04And the crew are finding it hard to believe he's avoided serious injury.
0:17:04 > 0:17:10Well, he has got a nasty laceration. He's got several deep lacerations to his head.
0:17:10 > 0:17:13Everything else is within normal limits.
0:17:13 > 0:17:20He's been very lucky that he's managed to land in the optimum place, yeah.
0:17:20 > 0:17:25Well, it's a Mark IV Cobra, which is a 1989 AC Cobra.
0:17:25 > 0:17:31We've just had an AC national day when they've come from all round the country to Bolton Abbey.
0:17:31 > 0:17:38I suppose it was just a wet road. Been an old friend of mine for 40 years.
0:17:38 > 0:17:42When I was a copper, many accidents like this had an obvious cause.
0:17:42 > 0:17:46But a breath test proved Hayden's not been drinking.
0:17:46 > 0:17:50- Lovely.- Steady. Steady. Slide. - That's it.
0:17:50 > 0:17:57With Harrogate Hospital only a few miles away, and Hayden suffering from only minor injuries,
0:17:57 > 0:18:01it's decided he can travel to hospital by road.
0:18:01 > 0:18:09- Are you guys happy then taking him by land?- Yes.- And just to let you know it's a soft top.- Yeah.- It was.
0:18:09 > 0:18:16Half an hour ago, Hayden was showing off his beloved car at an AC Cobra Club meeting.
0:18:16 > 0:18:23Now he's on his way to hospital in an ambulance and his £70,000 car is heading off to the scrap yard.
0:18:23 > 0:18:28I don't know how he ended up upside down and not have a roll cage.
0:18:28 > 0:18:35It's a soft top and he removed himself. It's a beautiful car, but it saved his life.
0:18:35 > 0:18:39After a check-up, Hayden was given the all-clear.
0:18:39 > 0:18:45But he's still counting the cost of a very expensive Sunday afternoon spin.
0:18:52 > 0:18:55You can tell your friends you've been in a helicopter.
0:18:55 > 0:18:56Coming up...
0:18:56 > 0:19:02The team try to take Joe's mind off his accident on the way to hospital.
0:19:02 > 0:19:05- Not many people get to do this.- No.
0:19:07 > 0:19:14And there's a call-out for the hospital firefighters who are always on stand-by for disaster.
0:19:19 > 0:19:25In the Pennines, the Helimed team have a problem. Their helicopter can get them almost anywhere,
0:19:25 > 0:19:29except the steep hillside where their patient is lying.
0:19:29 > 0:19:34Up a steep hill in the Pennines, a mountain biker, Adam Moorhouse,
0:19:34 > 0:19:38is lying injured after falling off his bike.
0:19:38 > 0:19:44Flying paramedic Darren Axe has jumped out of the helicopter
0:19:44 > 0:19:51because the slope is too steep for Helimed 99 to land and he's started to treat Adam.
0:19:51 > 0:19:55Adam's injuries are not the only thing worrying Darren.
0:19:55 > 0:20:02The mountain rescue team are on another job and it's too dangerous to carry Adam to the bottom.
0:20:02 > 0:20:09Adam's hopes of a quick transfer to hospital now lie with Helimed 99's pilot, Tim Taylor.
0:20:09 > 0:20:16- Open your door.- With help from Darren and Simon Cavanagh, he must try and land the helicopter
0:20:16 > 0:20:19on a flatter piece of ground.
0:20:19 > 0:20:24- We're down, but does it look comfortable?- No. I don't think so.
0:20:24 > 0:20:30Can the patient walk? I don't really want to come down.
0:20:30 > 0:20:35If he can walk to the aircraft, then I'll keep running.
0:20:35 > 0:20:38We'll go back down to the bottom.
0:20:38 > 0:20:46But it's just too steep for Tim to land and he's forced to move down the hill for a second time.
0:20:46 > 0:20:49That was the best decision, mate.
0:20:49 > 0:20:52Yes. It was too dangerous, yeah.
0:20:56 > 0:21:03We gave it a try. You've got to do what is reasonable within the bounds of what the aircraft can cope with.
0:21:03 > 0:21:08I don't want the helicopter sliding off this hill.
0:21:08 > 0:21:15With Adam stuck up the hill and mountain rescue still unavailable, they need to call for more back-up.
0:21:15 > 0:21:18Get mountain rescue as well.
0:21:18 > 0:21:23And get the RAF out as well. If we don't use them, then so be it.
0:21:23 > 0:21:28It's now two helicopters that have to come to Adam's aid.
0:21:28 > 0:21:32Mountain rescue are out on another call.
0:21:32 > 0:21:37They're extremely busy, so we've called in the RAF.
0:21:37 > 0:21:42It's a technical rescue to get this gentleman down from here.
0:21:42 > 0:21:44We need the expertise to do that.
0:21:44 > 0:21:51RAF Search and Rescue are on their way. And Adam must now prepare himself to be winched off the ground
0:21:51 > 0:21:54and up into a hovering helicopter.
0:21:54 > 0:22:01His pain is under control, but Darren's worried he may have injured his neck.
0:22:01 > 0:22:05He needs Simon's help to move Adam on to a spinal board.
0:22:05 > 0:22:12Simon's a keen runner and very fit, but even he struggled with the steep hill.
0:22:12 > 0:22:14Oh, lovely!
0:22:14 > 0:22:18I wasn't out of breath at all when I came up here.
0:22:18 > 0:22:25It's over an hour since Adam fell and they still don't know if his neck is injured.
0:22:25 > 0:22:27Put your legs down, Adam.
0:22:27 > 0:22:34They're immobilising him to prevent any further damage and to make it easier for the RAF to winch him.
0:22:34 > 0:22:36Wait for Richard's call.
0:22:43 > 0:22:45- My shoulder...- Sorry?
0:22:45 > 0:22:50Clear the deck, as much debris and rubbish as you can take with you.
0:22:50 > 0:22:55I suggest an area over there, well out of the way.
0:22:56 > 0:23:03The RAF Sea King rescue helicopters weigh six tons, twice the weight of the air ambulance.
0:23:08 > 0:23:10They were designed in the 1970s
0:23:10 > 0:23:15and are not as fast as the Helimed team's Explorer helicopter.
0:23:15 > 0:23:20But they can do something the air ambulance can't.
0:23:20 > 0:23:25There's no need for a helipad when the Sea King's around.
0:23:25 > 0:23:29The RAF winchmen are trained paramedics.
0:23:29 > 0:23:35The team decided to let the RAF fly Adam to hospital themselves to save time.
0:23:35 > 0:23:41Daz will go with his patient to explain to doctors what drugs he's administered.
0:23:41 > 0:23:44- I'm Daz.- Hello.
0:23:44 > 0:23:51- This is Adam. He's been coming down this hill, gone over the handlebars, shoulder and neck injury.- OK.
0:23:51 > 0:23:56The RAF have just dropped their winchman. He's a paramedic as well,
0:23:56 > 0:24:01so we'll transfer the patient over to this guy.
0:24:01 > 0:24:03This is just a location issue.
0:24:03 > 0:24:09It's OK. We'll just put your board straight into this and we can go.
0:24:12 > 0:24:20- Are you OK?- Yes.- Excellent. We'll use our stretcher and helicopter to take you to Huddersfield Hospital.
0:24:25 > 0:24:33Daz has trained with the RAF before. He knows what to expect. But this was the last thing Adam had in mind
0:24:33 > 0:24:39when he set out for a ride in the hills. Even though he's an adrenaline junkie,
0:24:39 > 0:24:44riding the wire under a military chopper isn't to everyone's taste.
0:24:44 > 0:24:49Being winched up into its massive downdraught is quite an experience.
0:24:56 > 0:25:03The Sea King's taking Darren and Adam direct to hospital in Huddersfield.
0:25:03 > 0:25:10But while Darren escorts his patient to A&E, Helimed 99 is off on another job.
0:25:10 > 0:25:16The rescue operation is likely to have cost more than £10,000, if anyone was counting.
0:25:16 > 0:25:23But will Adam's eventful day leave him with any long-term injuries?
0:25:27 > 0:25:34Coming up - after his two-hour ordeal in the hills, Adam gets the doctor's verdict.
0:25:34 > 0:25:41And I'm dropping into a city centre as long as the tower blocks and cranes don't get in the way.
0:25:46 > 0:25:53But now, five-year-old Joe Morris has lost something very important - part of his ear.
0:25:53 > 0:26:00On the outskirts of York, Joe is about to become Helimed 99's youngest unaccompanied patient.
0:26:00 > 0:26:03I'll see you at the hospital, OK?
0:26:03 > 0:26:07He was visiting a riding stable when a horse bit his ear.
0:26:07 > 0:26:14A piece of Joe's ear has been on the ground for half an hour and it's uncertain if it can be re-attached.
0:26:14 > 0:26:21But paramedic Lee wants to give Joe the best possible chance of avoiding disfigurement
0:26:21 > 0:26:28and he's taking him to Leeds General Infirmary where plastic surgeons are waiting.
0:26:28 > 0:26:33- Your ear's not hurting too much, is it? Is it OK?- Yeah.- OK. Good man.
0:26:33 > 0:26:38You can tell your friends you've been in a helicopter.
0:26:38 > 0:26:42- Not many people get to do this, do they?- No.
0:26:42 > 0:26:49As well as getting Joe to specialist care quickly, the helicopter is also acting as a welcome distraction
0:26:49 > 0:26:53and taking Joe's mind off his frightening ordeal.
0:26:53 > 0:26:56We're starting to get near to Leeds.
0:26:56 > 0:27:00Then we're actually going to land on top of the hospital roof.
0:27:00 > 0:27:06- So that's something else you'll be able to tell your friends, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:27:06 > 0:27:14- This must be the youngest kid we've flown on their own. Done brilliant. - Yes, really good. Really good lad.
0:27:14 > 0:27:20Despite the bad weather, Helimed 99 safely lands on top of the LGI,
0:27:20 > 0:27:27where plastic surgeons will look at Joe and the piece of his ear, which has been detached for an hour.
0:27:27 > 0:27:31We're here, mate. Well done. Did you enjoy that?
0:27:31 > 0:27:34Yeah? Good man.
0:27:35 > 0:27:39Maintained him in the back did Tony and he's been absolutely fine.
0:27:39 > 0:27:45And I think he had a smile on his face, considering his injury.
0:27:45 > 0:27:52The paramedic that was on the scene had recovered part of the ear that had been bitten off by the horse.
0:27:52 > 0:27:57We just put it in some salty water to try and preserve it a little bit,
0:27:57 > 0:28:02so they can see if they can save it. But time is of the essence.
0:28:02 > 0:28:10And the helicopter can get people to definitive care, to the surgeons who have got the skills to help.
0:28:10 > 0:28:18Joe's taken straight to a specialist children's ward and he's assessed by plastic surgeon, Rob Winterton.
0:28:18 > 0:28:21I was in theatre and we got the call
0:28:21 > 0:28:25to say that someone had come in a helicopter
0:28:25 > 0:28:28with a bit of his ear bitten off.
0:28:28 > 0:28:33And it's a child. So it's a good chance to re-attach this because he's come quickly.
0:28:33 > 0:28:41So the anaesthetist put him to sleep. We cleaned the ear and the bit of ear and stitched it back on.
0:28:41 > 0:28:46The piece of ear lay on the stable floor for over half an hour.
0:28:46 > 0:28:53Success rates go down dramatically the longer the tissue's left in the open air.
0:28:53 > 0:29:00With the operation complete, there's nothing more the surgeons can do for Joe, but wait.
0:29:00 > 0:29:07It'd be nice to be confident, but experience tells us that even when everything is perfect,
0:29:07 > 0:29:14not everything survives. With Joe, we got him quickly, so everything was on his side. So we were hopeful.
0:29:14 > 0:29:18It's three weeks since Joe's accident
0:29:18 > 0:29:26and there's great news. Thanks to the expertise of the plastic surgeons, Joe's ear is on the mend.
0:29:26 > 0:29:31And after a few more weeks, there won't even be a noticeable scar.
0:29:31 > 0:29:37He had the operation on the Sunday night. He had his stitches taken out a week later
0:29:37 > 0:29:40and it had attached and it looked OK.
0:29:40 > 0:29:45You can see the change daily. It gets better all the time.
0:29:45 > 0:29:53There's been lots of interest at school because he's a big hero. They all think it's absolutely fantastic.
0:29:53 > 0:30:00And I don't think he's really suffered any damage psychologically at all. He wears it like a trophy.
0:30:00 > 0:30:06Not surprisingly, Joe's new favourite game is a helicopter simulator.
0:30:06 > 0:30:11If you move the stick, Joe, it'll go faster or slower.
0:30:11 > 0:30:17And no wonder he loves the idea of flying fast. It probably saved his ear.
0:30:21 > 0:30:27Coming up - paramedic Daz is stranded as Helimed 99 takes off without him.
0:30:27 > 0:30:32The air ambulance got another job and abandoned us!
0:30:38 > 0:30:43Compared to most people in the NHS, the flying paramedics are lucky.
0:30:43 > 0:30:50Excitement and glamour are all part of the job. But without an unusual team of hospital staff in Leeds,
0:30:50 > 0:30:55they couldn't get their patients to intensive care.
0:30:55 > 0:30:57We'll head slowly over the bumps.
0:30:57 > 0:31:05Dave Tate is one of the porters at Leeds General Infirmary. Paul Curoto is the pest control manager.
0:31:05 > 0:31:12Pigeons are what he hates. But when the bleeper goes off, they become NHS firefighters,
0:31:12 > 0:31:19standing by to fight the fire that would inevitably follow a crash on the rooftop helideck.
0:31:31 > 0:31:36We carry a bleeper and that could go off at any second.
0:31:36 > 0:31:40Get up to the helideck, a patient's coming in.
0:31:40 > 0:31:45This is pretty much a mini airport in its own right.
0:31:45 > 0:31:48The boys are very keen, well-trained.
0:31:49 > 0:31:53And, yeah, the lads are great at their job.
0:32:00 > 0:32:06'The Leeds General Infirmary is right in the heart of the city.
0:32:06 > 0:32:12'Space is at a premium. And the sky is the only place to park a helicopter round here.
0:32:12 > 0:32:17'This is one of only three helipads in the UK on top of a hospital.
0:32:17 > 0:32:23'Today, I'm getting a pilot's eye view of landing in a city centre.'
0:32:23 > 0:32:28I don't know how you do it, Steve. It's an absolute urban jungle.
0:32:28 > 0:32:35And for you to try and land this thing on that tiny little speck over there, I take my hat off to you!
0:32:35 > 0:32:39- We're not down yet. - Let's hope you will do.
0:32:39 > 0:32:44'Captain Steve Cobb does this around 20 times a year.
0:32:44 > 0:32:50'We're on final approach to the heart of a city of three-quarters of a million people.'
0:32:50 > 0:32:56The main danger, apart from the cranes, is if you lose an engine on the way in.
0:32:56 > 0:33:03You have to make sure your approach is perfect. And if you miss the pad, that's not good news.
0:33:03 > 0:33:09But we do have these plastic visors to help us when we hit the ground...
0:33:09 > 0:33:16'We're carrying a full load of jet fuel. That's why the LGI crash crew are standing by
0:33:16 > 0:33:20'with fire-suppressant foam, hoses and rescue gear.
0:33:20 > 0:33:27'Am I glad to see them! When I was a soldier, I flew in helicopters all the time,
0:33:27 > 0:33:33'but never into a city centre like this. Even now, it could all go wrong.
0:33:33 > 0:33:36'But it doesn't. We're down.'
0:33:36 > 0:33:42- You got it bang-on.- Now and then it works. Today's a lucky day.
0:33:42 > 0:33:45'Which is just as well for the fire team.
0:33:45 > 0:33:50'Every year they practise for real at an airport firefighting school.
0:33:50 > 0:33:55'But they never want to do that here as a crash would be devastating.'
0:33:55 > 0:34:02A lot of people think we're here for the helicopter, but the staff don't realise we're here for their safety.
0:34:02 > 0:34:09If anything happens on the helideck, we have to look after the helicopter, the patients and staff.
0:34:09 > 0:34:12Paul Curoto is in charge of the helideck crew.
0:34:12 > 0:34:19There's only two like this in the UK, one's down in London, and us.
0:34:19 > 0:34:25I can honestly say it's not about the money, it's more a vocation.
0:34:25 > 0:34:31We get involved, belt and braces sometimes. We get very poorly people.
0:34:31 > 0:34:37And they're about to go into action again. Helimed 98 has been scrambled.
0:34:37 > 0:34:45Historic Harewood House is five miles from the airbase. It takes the crew three minutes to take off
0:34:45 > 0:34:49and land in front of the stately home.
0:34:49 > 0:34:54- It's in the bird garden.- We'll just have a quick chat with her, OK?
0:34:54 > 0:35:01Their patient is 74-year-old Pamela Williams. She was on a day out with her friends when she was taken ill.
0:35:01 > 0:35:06The paramedics think she may have had a stroke.
0:35:06 > 0:35:13The staff at Harewood House have arranged transport to quickly take paramedic Lee to the patient.
0:35:13 > 0:35:21It's quite a popular tourist spot. They've got a bird garden, which is where we've come into now.
0:35:21 > 0:35:29We can go straight to Leeds, which is only a few minutes away. They've got a specialist neuro unit there.
0:35:29 > 0:35:33- Hello.- Hello. - She's feeling a bit woozy.
0:35:33 > 0:35:39Pamela's friends describe her symptoms to Lee and it does sound like a stroke.
0:35:39 > 0:35:44- She's walked over to here.- Right. - And feels... It does look a bit...
0:35:44 > 0:35:49- Is it numb on the right side of your mouth or on the left?- It's the left.
0:35:49 > 0:35:56- And is it your left arm that feels a bit numb?- Yes.- OK. So we'll get a chair to get you to the ambulance.
0:35:56 > 0:36:04And then we'll put you on to an aircraft and fly you into Leeds. There's a specialist unit there.
0:36:04 > 0:36:10- It'll only be a short flight, OK? - Yes.- OK. You'll be absolutely fine.
0:36:10 > 0:36:15We're just going to land on the helipad, on the top of the hospital.
0:36:16 > 0:36:21- BLEEPING - The helideck fire crew have been scrambled.
0:36:21 > 0:36:23We'll be there in a few minutes.
0:36:23 > 0:36:30With the chopper so close, they need to get a move on if they're going to make it in time.
0:36:35 > 0:36:40We've been a bit too quick for them to get up there.
0:36:41 > 0:36:45The pressure's on and the helicopter is winning.
0:36:51 > 0:36:55That's it. We're down.
0:36:55 > 0:37:03Getting stroke patients into hospital quickly to be treated by clot-busting drugs is a priority.
0:37:03 > 0:37:10- We can cope.- Great stuff. Cheers, guys.- We were still getting dressed on deck as the aircraft came in.
0:37:10 > 0:37:15So it were a belt and braces job, but the patient's down in A&E.
0:37:15 > 0:37:19It's been a fast turnaround for everyone.
0:37:19 > 0:37:27But Helimed 98 and the helideck fire crew have made sure Pamela will get the best treatment possible.
0:37:27 > 0:37:33- So do you think having a helipad like this can actually save lives? - Absolutely.
0:37:33 > 0:37:37I've seen a couple of people that would not have survived
0:37:37 > 0:37:40if it hadn't been for this deck.
0:37:40 > 0:37:48They're on this roof. They're straight into resus by a series of ramps and they're getting seen.
0:37:48 > 0:37:55So if you're going about your day-to-day business chasing mice or pigeons around the hospital
0:37:55 > 0:38:03- and suddenly you get that call, is it a bit of an adrenaline rush? - Absolutely. It is a real, real buzz.
0:38:03 > 0:38:10If you ask any of the crew, it hits home and that's it. When the bleeper goes off, you get up to the deck
0:38:10 > 0:38:16- and you put your fireman's head on. - And how long do you get to do that then?
0:38:16 > 0:38:21Sometimes it's 15, 20 minutes. It has been as little as three minutes.
0:38:21 > 0:38:28Let's catch up on the mountain biker whose rescue from the Pennines was complicated, to say the least.
0:38:28 > 0:38:36Flying paramedic Darren Axe is at the centre of a dramatic rescue in West Yorkshire.
0:38:36 > 0:38:40He's been winched into an RAF Sea King helicopter,
0:38:40 > 0:38:47along with mountain biker Adam. Adam needs hospital treatment after falling off his bike.
0:38:47 > 0:38:52And within minutes, his journey in a six-ton helicopter is over.
0:38:52 > 0:38:57The final leg of their journey is a little less exciting.
0:38:57 > 0:39:04As the RAF Search and Rescue team return to base, Darren and Adam are driven to Huddersfield Hospital.
0:39:04 > 0:39:08The air ambulance got another job and abandoned us!
0:39:08 > 0:39:14He's stable when immobilised. But when he moves, his pain increases.
0:39:14 > 0:39:21Adam's extraordinary rescue may have taken his mind off his injuries, but now he's arrived in A&E,
0:39:21 > 0:39:27it'll be an anxious few hours before he finds out if he's done any serious damage.
0:39:27 > 0:39:34It's three months since the accident and Adam's been unable to enjoy the beautiful Pennine countryside.
0:39:34 > 0:39:38But back at the scene of his dramatic rescue,
0:39:38 > 0:39:44more mountain bikers are attempting the same treacherous trails.
0:39:44 > 0:39:51And today, Adam's going to join them. He's fully recovered and ready to get the adrenaline pumping again.
0:39:51 > 0:39:57We usually amble up to the top, take our time, then ride back down again.
0:39:57 > 0:40:02I was coming down a fast bit where if you went to the left, it's OK,
0:40:02 > 0:40:04but on the right, there's a hump.
0:40:04 > 0:40:11And I ended up going the wrong way and went into this hump. And then the bike just stopped where it was
0:40:11 > 0:40:16and launched me off and I landed on my head and shoulder.
0:40:16 > 0:40:23Adam was lucky. Bikers that come off at these sorts of speeds risk serious head and spinal injuries.
0:40:23 > 0:40:27But he got away with just a dislocated shoulder.
0:40:27 > 0:40:34There was a bit of a lump on top of my shoulder. And I'd cut my arm up a bit as well.
0:40:34 > 0:40:40I thought the blood was from my shoulder. I didn't really want to look at it.
0:40:40 > 0:40:46Adam's friend Andy Butterworth saw it happen and knew his friend was in trouble.
0:40:46 > 0:40:51Usually if someone's fallen off or there's been an accident,
0:40:51 > 0:40:54we can just get up and laugh it off.
0:40:54 > 0:40:59So when he wasn't getting up, I realised it was pretty bad.
0:40:59 > 0:41:04Rescuing patients from steep hillsides is never straightforward.
0:41:04 > 0:41:09But Adam had no idea how dramatic it was going to be.
0:41:09 > 0:41:14It was windy. I'd look up and then see the bottom of the helicopter.
0:41:14 > 0:41:21I saw the bottom like that. They put you in and another winch sucks you into the side, you're in and away.
0:41:21 > 0:41:28It's really great to see it arrive. If that wasn't there, things could've...
0:41:28 > 0:41:31Things could have gone much worse.
0:41:31 > 0:41:38As soon as we knew the ambulance was coming, they were here very quickly. And a guy jumped out the helicopter.
0:41:38 > 0:41:44Then they sorted me out very quickly and looked after me very well.
0:41:44 > 0:41:48That's all from Helicopter Heroes. But when we come back...
0:41:48 > 0:41:53A climber falls and breaks her leg halfway up a deadly rockface.
0:41:53 > 0:41:58- She's been up there a while. - And the doctor's scared of heights.
0:41:59 > 0:42:07The driver of a vintage sports car is trapped behind the wheel. And pilot Tim has to turn fireman.
0:42:08 > 0:42:13A cyclist comes off on a very steep hill.
0:42:13 > 0:42:16Her brakes may have given out.
0:42:16 > 0:42:24And the emergency services are called to a crash on one of the highest roads in the Dales.
0:42:34 > 0:42:38Subtitles by Subtext for Red Bee Media Ltd 2008