0:00:02 > 0:00:05When you're with someone who's critically ill or seriously injured,
0:00:05 > 0:00:08every minute you wait for medical aid to arrive can feel like an hour,
0:00:08 > 0:00:13which is why a helicopter like this can be one of the most beautiful sights in the world.
0:00:13 > 0:00:14It certainly was for me when I was a copper.
0:00:14 > 0:00:20This is the Yorkshire Air Ambulance, and their business is saving lives.
0:00:40 > 0:00:43From the Dales to the big cities of Leeds and Sheffield,
0:00:43 > 0:00:47patients in the UK's biggest county are never more than 10 minutes from a hospital
0:00:47 > 0:00:51thanks to this 150-mile-an-hour lifesaver,
0:00:51 > 0:00:56and every day brings a new life-or-death emergency for its team of flying paramedics.
0:00:56 > 0:01:00Two helicopters, four paramedics, five million patients.
0:01:00 > 0:01:05Today on Helicopter Heroes, there's drama in Yorkshire's racing country
0:01:05 > 0:01:08as a jockey stops breathing after a serious fall.
0:01:08 > 0:01:13I just turned her over, put her head back and gave her mouth-to-mouth.
0:01:13 > 0:01:17A wedding party is caught up in a terrible crash and the groom's cousin is fighting for his life.
0:01:17 > 0:01:20Don't fight us. We're helping you.
0:01:22 > 0:01:26The boss shows paramedic Sammy the way on a tricky hill rescue.
0:01:26 > 0:01:29I'll follow in his footsteps anywhere!
0:01:29 > 0:01:34And the patient who's still smiling despite almost bleeding to death.
0:01:34 > 0:01:38It looked like a scene from the Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
0:01:42 > 0:01:47They call horseracing the sport of kings, but for the jockeys who ride the thoroughbreds on the track,
0:01:47 > 0:01:49there's more at stake than a few quid each way.
0:01:49 > 0:01:54If you fall off, it's a long way down, and you can be doing 40 miles an hour.
0:01:54 > 0:02:01It's a winter's morning in North Yorkshire's racing country and there's been a serious accident.
0:02:12 > 0:02:15Helimed 99's crew are on the case.
0:02:15 > 0:02:19The rider's near an isolated racing stable on the edge of the North York Moors.
0:02:19 > 0:02:24A female has fallen off a horse and is unconscious.
0:02:24 > 0:02:27She may well have fallen onto her head.
0:02:43 > 0:02:46Paramedics Pat and Sammy have been called to incidents like this before.
0:02:46 > 0:02:48They can be very serious incidents.
0:02:48 > 0:02:51It could be anything from minor injuries
0:02:51 > 0:02:54to very serious spinal and head injuries.
0:02:54 > 0:02:58The morning gallop at racing trainer Mick Easterby's stables near York
0:02:58 > 0:03:01has ended in a life-or-death struggle.
0:03:01 > 0:03:05Jockey Kate Bosanquet has fallen from her skittish horse.
0:03:05 > 0:03:09She's owes her life to Oliver, a colleague with first aid skills.
0:03:10 > 0:03:14The horse went hanging left-handed. The horse slipped over,
0:03:14 > 0:03:18so she fell away from the horse and landed on her front, head first.
0:03:18 > 0:03:25So I just turned her over and then just put her head back and gave her mouth to mouth.
0:03:25 > 0:03:30Thanks to Oliver, Kate is still alive but she's in a critical condition.
0:03:30 > 0:03:34Luckily for her, Helimed 99 has a doctor on board today.
0:03:34 > 0:03:37If the patient has a significant head injury
0:03:37 > 0:03:40or significant other injuries, I'm able to give an anaesthetic,
0:03:40 > 0:03:44put the patient off to sleep and take control of their airway and breathing.
0:03:44 > 0:03:48I can't see any...
0:03:48 > 0:03:51- They did well to get the ambulance so close.- Yeah.
0:03:57 > 0:04:02This young lady's made contact with the floor, head first.
0:04:02 > 0:04:04Unconscious, face down.
0:04:04 > 0:04:08We're gonna get you into the warm in two minutes, Kate, love.
0:04:08 > 0:04:12Kate's in a bad way. Yorkshire has one of the UK's biggest networks of
0:04:12 > 0:04:16local ambulance stations and local paramedics reached her quickly.
0:04:16 > 0:04:18SHE MOANS Stay still, love.
0:04:18 > 0:04:21But Dr Jez Pinnell knows she could deteriorate at any time.
0:04:21 > 0:04:25She's sustained quite a serious head injury.
0:04:25 > 0:04:29The signs at the moment are that she's just got a significant injury
0:04:29 > 0:04:32to her head because of the initial fall, because of lack of oxygen.
0:04:32 > 0:04:37We are going to give an anaesthetic, put her off to sleep, put a breathing tube into her airways,
0:04:37 > 0:04:41so we get control of her airways and control of her breathing.
0:04:41 > 0:04:46Then we're going to fly into the LGI in Leeds which is the regional neuro-surgical centre.
0:04:46 > 0:04:50Half an hour ago Kate was exercising a race horse.
0:04:50 > 0:04:53Now the paramedics are racing to save her life.
0:04:53 > 0:04:55Her colleagues are in shock.
0:04:55 > 0:04:57She wasn't breathing.
0:04:57 > 0:05:02I couldn't feel a pulse but she had all that gear on so...
0:05:02 > 0:05:10This lady's got a head injury so we're preparing to go do what's called a rapid sequence induction.
0:05:10 > 0:05:14Kate, we are going to put a board underneath your back.
0:05:14 > 0:05:18Kate's drifting in and out of consciousness.
0:05:18 > 0:05:24Putting her to sleep will allow her injured brain to rest, and hopefully recover.
0:05:24 > 0:05:26But all anaesthetics involve a risk.
0:05:28 > 0:05:29Will Kate make it?
0:05:35 > 0:05:40Coming up on Helicopter Heroes - can doctor Jez save Kate's life?
0:05:40 > 0:05:42Survival means a risky procedure
0:05:42 > 0:05:45and this is a ploughed field, not a hospital.
0:05:47 > 0:05:50In the Peak District an exhausted walker needs help,
0:05:50 > 0:05:52and so does paramedic Nick.
0:05:52 > 0:05:54You'll have to back pack me.
0:05:56 > 0:06:00And a farmers prize bull leaves his owner in agony.
0:06:00 > 0:06:02If he hadn't been thrown out, it would have killed him.
0:06:09 > 0:06:13Getting married is a happy affair, especially when your family's large
0:06:13 > 0:06:16and many guests have travelled thousands of miles just to be there.
0:06:16 > 0:06:21But for one unlucky couple, the journey to the reception ended in a terrible accident.
0:06:22 > 0:06:26Yorkshire has one of the busiest motorway networks in the country,
0:06:26 > 0:06:32and the M62, which carves its way through the Pennines, carries a million cars a day.
0:06:32 > 0:06:35It also has a notorious safety record.
0:06:36 > 0:06:41Paramedic Paul Bradbury along with Simon Kavanagh and pilot Paul Curtis are en route.
0:06:41 > 0:06:44And they've been here before.
0:06:45 > 0:06:49We're going to the same spot, actually!
0:06:49 > 0:06:52It's where the M62 splits, and there's a farm in the middle of it.
0:06:52 > 0:06:55Seems to be notorious for road accidents.
0:06:55 > 0:06:59The emergency services have responded quickly to this incident.
0:06:59 > 0:07:03Although only one car is involved, it's a bad one.
0:07:03 > 0:07:08Two men, part of a wedding party, have come off the motorway
0:07:08 > 0:07:12and hit a lamp post with such force they've brought it down.
0:07:12 > 0:07:17Helimed 99 are needed fast, but first they need somewhere to land.
0:07:17 > 0:07:23The motorway itself is usually the best option, but not today.
0:07:23 > 0:07:28They have traffic moving certainly westbound on the motorway.
0:07:28 > 0:07:32There does appear to be traffic moving on the eastbound carriageway as well.
0:07:32 > 0:07:37With the traffic still running in both directions pilot Paul needs somewhere else to land.
0:07:37 > 0:07:42Someone's back garden is about to become a makeshift helipad.
0:07:42 > 0:07:47It's not the first time they've landed in this garden.
0:07:47 > 0:07:52The paramedics know it is only a short walk to the crash site, with only a few hurdles.
0:07:54 > 0:07:58The emergency crew already at the scene have got one casualty out of the car.
0:07:58 > 0:08:02He is still alive, but there's another man still trapped in the wreckage.
0:08:02 > 0:08:07- Guys, before you move him, can I have a look at him please?- Yes. - Just going to check his back.
0:08:07 > 0:08:11The only way to this patient is through the windscreen.
0:08:11 > 0:08:13Hi, sir. Stay where you are.
0:08:13 > 0:08:15What do we call this chap?
0:08:15 > 0:08:17- What's your name?- Atif.
0:08:17 > 0:08:24A fire fighter, one of the first to the scene, has been cradling Atif Ali since the accident.
0:08:24 > 0:08:29Paul now needs his help to get an oxygen mask and an emergency collar onto his patient before he's moved.
0:08:29 > 0:08:35I'm going to put a collar on your neck, so just don't move for a moment, OK?
0:08:40 > 0:08:42But Atif is fighting back.
0:08:42 > 0:08:47It could be fear, shock and panic, or more likely the trauma of a serious head injury.
0:08:49 > 0:08:52Atif, don't fight us. We're helping you.
0:08:53 > 0:08:59As the drama unfolds inside the car, on the hard shoulder of the motorway there's another problem developing.
0:08:59 > 0:09:04A few minutes ago all these people were on their way to a family wedding in West Yorkshire,
0:09:04 > 0:09:09travelling in convoy. Some witnessed the smash, and now more have pulled over.
0:09:13 > 0:09:17If you don't need to be here, I need you in the car so I know you're safe and out of the way.
0:09:17 > 0:09:22The crowd is getting bigger, and next to the motorway this is dangerous.
0:09:22 > 0:09:28There could be another accident. The police decide to clear the scene.
0:09:28 > 0:09:31I'm asking you now, sir. Come on.
0:09:35 > 0:09:38Back at the car, there's bad news.
0:09:38 > 0:09:41He's had a fit, yeah. Or what looks like a fit.
0:09:41 > 0:09:43I can't get in there at all.
0:09:43 > 0:09:46Atif's condition is getting worse.
0:09:46 > 0:09:48They need to get him out, but how?
0:09:48 > 0:09:51My only worry is, as soon as we start putting owt around him,
0:09:51 > 0:09:55- he's going to start fighting me. - We could take the roof off.
0:09:55 > 0:09:59- You can take the roof off and take him straight out.- Can you hold him here for two minutes?- I've got him.
0:10:01 > 0:10:07The crew can't risk flying Atif in the helicopter if he is having fits caused by a head injury.
0:10:07 > 0:10:11Amazingly, another passer-by has stopped who has the answer.
0:10:11 > 0:10:12Hi. By the way, I'm Vic Calland.
0:10:14 > 0:10:18Emergency doctor Vic Calland was driving past the scene.
0:10:18 > 0:10:23In his car, he has the drugs needed to sedate Atif, making it safe to fly him out.
0:10:23 > 0:10:24ATIF GROANS
0:10:24 > 0:10:25Stay still, mate.
0:10:25 > 0:10:32All this struggling is making it hard for Dr Calland to give Atif the drugs he needs.
0:10:32 > 0:10:35- Keep your arm still.- Relax.
0:10:35 > 0:10:38Tell him to calm down. Yeah, go on.
0:10:38 > 0:10:42Relax. Come on, brother, relax.
0:10:42 > 0:10:48His cousin, who has stayed at the scene, does his best to help calm him down.
0:10:51 > 0:10:53Please talk to me. Atif, relax, please.
0:10:55 > 0:10:58Time is getting on and as Atif continues to fight
0:10:58 > 0:11:03those trying to help him, Simon has a decision to make.
0:11:03 > 0:11:07If they ARE to fly him out, he will need to get this motorway shut down
0:11:07 > 0:11:09and land a helicopter in the middle of it.
0:11:15 > 0:11:17Coming up on Helicopter Heroes -
0:11:17 > 0:11:20can Helimed 99's crew free their patient...
0:11:20 > 0:11:22Just try and calm down, that's it.
0:11:22 > 0:11:24..and prevent a family wedding ending in tragedy?
0:11:26 > 0:11:32Doctor Jez turns a field into an operating theatre as he sedates a badly injured jockey.
0:11:34 > 0:11:36Are we going to sing Hi-ho?
0:11:36 > 0:11:43And paramedic Darren Axe takes a nostalgic trip down a coal mine, where he used to earn a living.
0:11:49 > 0:11:52The Pennines are full of stunning landscapes -
0:11:52 > 0:11:56spectacular waterfalls, rocky outcrops and ancient woodland.
0:11:56 > 0:12:00Exactly the worst place to try to land one of these.
0:12:00 > 0:12:03We think it's east of Bakewell.
0:12:03 > 0:12:08Today the Air Ambulance boss Mick Lindley is going back to the shop floor.
0:12:08 > 0:12:11And he's immediately called into action.
0:12:11 > 0:12:16On a woodland path in the Peak District, Gerrard Turnball has collapsed.
0:12:16 > 0:12:19He felt unwell and he had a rest and a drink of water.
0:12:19 > 0:12:23Somebody said he did pass out for a short period.
0:12:23 > 0:12:26But he's conscious now. A terrible colour.
0:12:26 > 0:12:31Before settling for life behind a desk, Mick was a paramedic on the road.
0:12:31 > 0:12:34He's now in charge of the whole air ambulance operation
0:12:34 > 0:12:39and thinks there's only one way to find out what life's really like for his paramedics.
0:12:39 > 0:12:41I like to fly occasionally, just to keep
0:12:41 > 0:12:44a) hands-on and b) to understand the operation.
0:12:44 > 0:12:50If they got any operational difficulties, I can look at that from an operational perspective.
0:12:50 > 0:12:55- Whereabouts is it?- Hiya, mate. They've given us a slightly wrong grid reference.
0:12:55 > 0:12:59Where it is, I don't think you can get anywhere nearer. He's in the woods.
0:12:59 > 0:13:02Gerrard is stuck at the top of a steep hill.
0:13:02 > 0:13:06Mountain rescue are already on scene, but the helicopter can't land
0:13:06 > 0:13:10nearby so that means a long hard walk for Mick and Sammy.
0:13:10 > 0:13:13If we can get the aircraft closer, then clearly we will do.
0:13:13 > 0:13:19But at the moment it's just a matter of getting to the patient and assessing their condition.
0:13:19 > 0:13:26A couple of years away from the frontline is taking its toll on Mick and he decides to pull rank.
0:13:26 > 0:13:29You'll have to backpack me. And the other one.
0:13:32 > 0:13:38My brave leader. I'll follow in his footsteps anywhere. He's very good.
0:13:38 > 0:13:40Gerrard's been lucky, one of his walking buddies
0:13:40 > 0:13:44is a radiographer and he's been monitoring his condition.
0:13:44 > 0:13:47Mick must now ensure Gerrard doesn't deteriorate.
0:13:47 > 0:13:50This far from hospital, that could be fatal.
0:13:50 > 0:13:56He seems very stable. It looks like he's probably just over exerted himself cos he's been on the way up.
0:13:56 > 0:13:59As we found out to our cost, it's a long way up.
0:13:59 > 0:14:05It's a long, steady, very steep hill.
0:14:05 > 0:14:09We stopped a couple of times, but it was obviously...
0:14:09 > 0:14:13He does get a bit out of breath and he says... so we stopped.
0:14:13 > 0:14:16It's just been too much for him, really.
0:14:17 > 0:14:21I don't know. I should come downhill next time.
0:14:23 > 0:14:26He's just kind of calming down. He's not been too concerned either, really.
0:14:26 > 0:14:32He's taken it all in his stride, so he's fairly comfortable and happy.
0:14:32 > 0:14:34But Gerrard's luck might be about to run out.
0:14:34 > 0:14:40He's been on the cold, wet ground for nearly an hour and the weather's turning.
0:14:40 > 0:14:45It's not the cold, it's the onset of the rain that's going to caused the problem.
0:14:45 > 0:14:48That in itself, if we get to work, can cause hyperthermia.
0:14:48 > 0:14:52We're moving him fast as we can, really, just in terms of keeping him dry and warm.
0:14:53 > 0:14:58Gerrard needs to be in hospital but for once, it's not a short walk to the waiting helicopter.
0:14:58 > 0:15:02Instead Gerrard must endure a frightening journey
0:15:02 > 0:15:05down the same treacherous and slippery path he walked up.
0:15:07 > 0:15:14Fortunately Mountain Rescue has turned out in force with its latest piece of kit, a human wheelbarrow.
0:15:14 > 0:15:19These guys are very experienced, but this slope is steeper than it looks.
0:15:19 > 0:15:22Gerrard? Would you like to fly with us today?
0:15:22 > 0:15:26- I'm entirely in your hands. - Let's take you for a ride then.- OK.
0:15:27 > 0:15:30When you're looking at things like time critical
0:15:30 > 0:15:36incidents such as that, especially things like medical conditions such as a heart attack,
0:15:36 > 0:15:39it's really a question of how quickly you can get them
0:15:39 > 0:15:42away from that isolated incident and to hospital.
0:15:42 > 0:15:46The longer it takes, the more detrimental impact it has on the patient.
0:15:46 > 0:15:50From hilltop to hospital in just five minutes, Gerrard will soon be
0:15:50 > 0:15:54receiving the vital treatment he needs at Chesterfield Hospital.
0:15:55 > 0:15:59Six weeks later and guess who's back out walking?
0:15:59 > 0:16:02Since his rescue Gerrard's undergone numerous tests
0:16:02 > 0:16:07and visits to hospital, but he's still got the doctors baffled.
0:16:07 > 0:16:08The consultant said,
0:16:08 > 0:16:12"I'm sorry, we haven't got an explanation of what happened."
0:16:12 > 0:16:15So they'd like me to have an angiogram in case
0:16:15 > 0:16:19it might have been a blocked artery. I can't praise them highly enough.
0:16:19 > 0:16:22So efficient, sensitive and caring.
0:16:22 > 0:16:26They knew their job and they knew exactly what to do.
0:16:30 > 0:16:33Coming up on Helicopter Heroes -
0:16:33 > 0:16:37there's an accident in a warehouse and a storeman is in danger of losing his foot.
0:16:37 > 0:16:39The bag is on top of his chest.
0:16:41 > 0:16:45And on the motorway, a badly injured driver takes a turn for the worse.
0:16:45 > 0:16:47- He's got a bleeder.- Has he?
0:16:54 > 0:16:59Back on the gallops in North Yorkshire, jockey Kate Bosanquet is fighting for her life.
0:16:59 > 0:17:01It took the kiss of life to restart her breathing.
0:17:01 > 0:17:08But now only one man, flying doctor Jez Pinnell, could save her from what could be serious brain damage.
0:17:09 > 0:17:14Stable girl Kate was exercising a race horse when it threw her off.
0:17:14 > 0:17:18Her head took the full impact of the high-speed fall.
0:17:18 > 0:17:23Her fellow jockey, Oliver Greenall, used his first aid training to save her life.
0:17:23 > 0:17:27Dr Jez is putting her to sleep to allow her injured brain to rest.
0:17:27 > 0:17:30It's something I do every day in hospital.
0:17:30 > 0:17:34It's something we don't do that often outside of hospital.
0:17:34 > 0:17:38She's quite agitated now. If she becomes agitated in the helicopter,
0:17:38 > 0:17:44she vomits or develops a problem with her airway, it's very difficult to manage once we are up in the air.
0:17:44 > 0:17:47So once we got her off to sleep she is a lot safer and easier to manage.
0:17:47 > 0:17:50You've come off your horse and banged your head, all right?
0:17:50 > 0:17:55We're just going to put you to sleep. Everything we doing is just to help you.
0:17:55 > 0:17:56Kate had stopped breathing.
0:17:56 > 0:18:01Her brain literally only had a few minutes, three minutes, before it starts dying.
0:18:01 > 0:18:05We call it hypoxia, or lack of oxygen.
0:18:05 > 0:18:08Oliver was able to step in, start breathing on her behalf,
0:18:08 > 0:18:10and that enabled us to continue on the care.
0:18:10 > 0:18:15If he hadn't have done that, we wouldn't have been able to make a difference.
0:18:15 > 0:18:18A cocktail of drugs is prepared to knock Kate out.
0:18:19 > 0:18:22SHE COUGHS AND MOANS
0:18:25 > 0:18:28It's just to help you. Try and relax.
0:18:28 > 0:18:31Better than the air you're breathing now, Kate.
0:18:31 > 0:18:34SHE MOANS
0:18:34 > 0:18:37Right, Kate. Try not to fight.
0:18:37 > 0:18:41This would normally be happening in an operating theatre,
0:18:41 > 0:18:44with an anaesthetist and a team of assistants.
0:18:47 > 0:18:53It's crucial that the paramedics and Dr Jez pull together to make this work.
0:18:55 > 0:19:02On this occasion, having Jez with us that day effectively meant that we took the hospital to the patient.
0:19:02 > 0:19:04She was anaesthetised on scene in the mud.
0:19:04 > 0:19:08It does carry a degree of risk.
0:19:08 > 0:19:14We used the same standards of monitoring and the same equipment as we would do in the hospital.
0:19:14 > 0:19:16If something was to go wrong and we weren't able to
0:19:16 > 0:19:20get the breathing tube down, we have a Plan B and a Plan C,
0:19:20 > 0:19:24and everybody in the helicopter crew
0:19:24 > 0:19:29is trained to deal with those situations, should they arise.
0:19:31 > 0:19:36Kate's life is now in the hands of Jez and his team.
0:19:36 > 0:19:41They're even breathing for her as the anaesthetic allows her to slip back into unconsciousness.
0:19:43 > 0:19:46I've given her an anaesthetic now so she's had a sleep,
0:19:46 > 0:19:48she's had some drugs to try to relax all her muscles.
0:19:48 > 0:19:52That has enabled me to put a tube into her throat, down the windpipe
0:19:52 > 0:19:56which does two things. It protects her airway now, in case she was to
0:19:56 > 0:20:01vomit, and it also allows us to ventilate her, to breathe for her.
0:20:01 > 0:20:06This means we can control the oxygen level and we can control her level of carbon dioxide
0:20:06 > 0:20:09which is important if you have a head injury, as we suspect she does.
0:20:09 > 0:20:13It's time to get Kate on board the helicopter.
0:20:13 > 0:20:21When the brain gets thumped as hard as Kate's has been, it can swell and put itself under massive pressure.
0:20:21 > 0:20:23It gets confused and some patients lash out.
0:20:23 > 0:20:28Many even start fighting with the paramedics who are trying to save their life.
0:20:29 > 0:20:34It's because the brain is sending all sorts of messages and it's their instinct.
0:20:34 > 0:20:40They don't mean to lash out. It's just their way of trying to "Hey, I don't know what's going on, help."
0:20:40 > 0:20:45They know that they've got a problem but they're often not fully aware of the situation around them.
0:20:46 > 0:20:51They try and get up off the trolley and pull off their oxygen mask, pull off their monitoring.
0:20:51 > 0:20:55They might try hitting out at people who are restraining them,
0:20:55 > 0:20:58because they think that they're attacking them.
0:20:58 > 0:21:01We would try not to, if at all possible, transfer those patients
0:21:01 > 0:21:05by air because it's potentially dangerous for the patient
0:21:05 > 0:21:08and potentially dangerous for everyone in the helicopter.
0:21:10 > 0:21:16Kate's now on her way to hospital, but the anaesthetic needs careful and constant monitoring.
0:21:16 > 0:21:21We're just maintaining her anaesthetic, making sure she's stable on the way into hospital.
0:21:21 > 0:21:25We are in communication with the air desk. We shouldn't be too long.
0:21:25 > 0:21:27I don't know what our ETA is.
0:21:27 > 0:21:30- 10 minutes, I would have thought. - 13, 14 minutes.- Right.
0:21:30 > 0:21:34This is a dangerous time before Kate, but it's worth the risk.
0:21:34 > 0:21:38The team of neurosurgeons in Leeds are already waiting for her to arrive.
0:21:38 > 0:21:41She's had just started to move.
0:21:41 > 0:21:45Because she's got a head injury, we don't really want her coughing or moving around.
0:21:45 > 0:21:47That doesn't do the pressure inside her head much good.
0:21:47 > 0:21:53We're just giving her something to keep her still, as well as some drugs to keep her asleep and pain free.
0:21:53 > 0:21:56Kate's in safe hands, but Dr Jez is still worried that
0:21:56 > 0:22:00her injuries are so severe she might have permanently damaged her brain.
0:22:00 > 0:22:03Obviously what we don't know
0:22:03 > 0:22:08is how significant the injury to her brain is.
0:22:08 > 0:22:13The worrying thing was that they said when the first people arrived she was face down and not breathing.
0:22:13 > 0:22:18It may well have been that she was initially concussed, and then
0:22:18 > 0:22:23had a period of low oxygen which could cause damage to the brain.
0:22:23 > 0:22:27But either way, she needs to have a scan of her head
0:22:27 > 0:22:31to see if there's anything going on that surgeons can operate on.
0:22:33 > 0:22:3815 minutes ago Kate was on the gallops in North Yorkshire with a potentially fatal head injury.
0:22:38 > 0:22:43Now, she's landing on the rooftop helipad of one of Europe's most advanced hospitals.
0:22:45 > 0:22:47The helicopter and crew have done their bit.
0:22:47 > 0:22:50Now Kate's life is in the hands of others.
0:22:56 > 0:23:00Coming up - can Kate recover from her the fall that almost killed her
0:23:00 > 0:23:02or will her brain be permanently damaged?
0:23:04 > 0:23:09And a nasty accident with a power tool leaves a mechanic needing plastic surgery.
0:23:09 > 0:23:11Doing a marvellous job.
0:23:18 > 0:23:21Paramedics hate motorways.
0:23:21 > 0:23:25They're dangerous places to work and the victims of accidents are often trapped.
0:23:25 > 0:23:30On the M62 in the Pennines the crew of Helimed 99 have their hands full.
0:23:32 > 0:23:35Helimed 99's pilot Paul Curtis turned a garden
0:23:35 > 0:23:40by the side of the motorway into a makeshift helipad to get the paramedics to the crash.
0:23:40 > 0:23:43Atif, just try and calm down. That's it.
0:23:43 > 0:23:48On his way to a wedding Atif Ali has come off the M62.
0:23:49 > 0:23:52With Atif out of the car, sedated and calm, he's safe to fly
0:23:52 > 0:23:59to the head injuries unit he so desperately needs. What's needed now is a helicopter.
0:23:59 > 0:24:03We're going to have to close the carriageway if we going to fly him out.
0:24:03 > 0:24:05We're just going to liaise with the cops for that.
0:24:05 > 0:24:09Both carriageways need to be shut, and this is the road
0:24:09 > 0:24:13linking Manchester to Leeds - one of the busiest roads in the country.
0:24:13 > 0:24:16But the police don't hang about.
0:24:16 > 0:24:19I think it looks ready to go now.
0:24:19 > 0:24:26OK, mate. The only thing I'd ask is that one of you is in a position where you actually want me to land
0:24:26 > 0:24:29with your back into the wind and your arms outstretched
0:24:29 > 0:24:34so clearly I know where I'm going to land and it's safe to do so.
0:24:34 > 0:24:35No worries, mate. I'll sort that out for you.
0:24:35 > 0:24:41Paul is on the way. The police have the road blocks in place.
0:24:41 > 0:24:44Paul, Simon. The block's on at the minute.
0:24:44 > 0:24:49They're just taking a while to filter down. It's just beyond the white van, it's just two miles away.
0:24:49 > 0:24:51I've got a visual now. I can see the traffic.
0:24:51 > 0:24:56It's going to take a while for all that traffic to clear, mate.
0:24:56 > 0:25:01One side of the road is clear but Paul can't land until both carriageways are free of traffic.
0:25:01 > 0:25:08Drivers passing the crash site are slowing down to see what's going on,
0:25:08 > 0:25:10unaware that up in the air there is a helicopter
0:25:10 > 0:25:14waiting to land to take a critically ill patient to hospital.
0:25:17 > 0:25:22- He's stopped breathing.- Has he?- Yeah. Can you grab me a mask?
0:25:22 > 0:25:26The worst has happened. Atif has stopped breathing.
0:25:26 > 0:25:30We just happened to look across at the patient before we lifted
0:25:30 > 0:25:33him up, and I noticed that his chest had stopped rising.
0:25:33 > 0:25:37Thankfully at that stage the doctor was at the head end with a mask
0:25:37 > 0:25:41and he managed to use the mask on the patient to get him breathing again.
0:25:41 > 0:25:46- He's started again.- We're going to need to tube him, aren't we?
0:25:46 > 0:25:50Unfortunately one of the side-effects of serious head injuries is
0:25:50 > 0:25:55potentially a respiratory arrest, which is what Atif had.
0:25:55 > 0:25:58As the last car slowly passes the crash, the driver is unaware that
0:25:58 > 0:26:04in his rear view mirror the vehicle behind him is a £2 million air ambulance.
0:26:06 > 0:26:08This is potentially dangerous.
0:26:08 > 0:26:12The motorway wasn't designed with helicopters in mind and even with
0:26:12 > 0:26:17the road clear, Paul needs to keep the rotor blades well away from the lamp posts.
0:26:17 > 0:26:23He manoeuvres Helimed 99 as close to the central reservation as possible...and he's down.
0:26:24 > 0:26:28It was taking an inordinate amount of time for the traffic to filter
0:26:28 > 0:26:31through the incident location, so I was having to wait for that.
0:26:31 > 0:26:37The crew need to get Atif on his way as quickly as possible now.
0:26:37 > 0:26:44It's a very good example of how all the emergency services, the police, the fire, the ambulance,
0:26:44 > 0:26:51the air ambulance, you've got a doctor who was off duty, all working together for Atif's best interest.
0:26:51 > 0:26:54- Leeds General, is it? - Leeds General Infirmary.
0:26:57 > 0:26:59Do you want to just guide it across?
0:27:03 > 0:27:07With Atif finally on board, Paul the pilot manoeuvres the helicopter
0:27:07 > 0:27:11safely away from the lamp posts and Helimed 99 is on its way.
0:27:11 > 0:27:16Those 10 minutes could have been the difference between life and death for Atif.
0:27:16 > 0:27:21Had we not been able to close the roads, we wouldn't have been able to take him.
0:27:21 > 0:27:22He's made a fantastic recovery.
0:27:22 > 0:27:27We like to check up on people with how they've got on after a serious incident.
0:27:27 > 0:27:31Again, this is another good example of how the air ambulance benefits
0:27:31 > 0:27:35people with the serious injuries taken to a definitive centre.
0:27:41 > 0:27:44Coming up on Helicopter Heroes -
0:27:44 > 0:27:49will injured jockey Kate Bosanquet ever be fit enough to return to the job that almost killed her?
0:27:54 > 0:27:59Now, my last job wasn't exactly safe, but at least I knew the risks when I signed up as a copper.
0:27:59 > 0:28:03Helimed 99's paramedics are used to treating patients who have injured themselves at work.
0:28:03 > 0:28:07Few know the risks quite as well as Darren Axe.
0:28:12 > 0:28:17At the only Yorkshire coalmine preserved as a museum, there are some unusual visitors today.
0:28:17 > 0:28:19There is a bucket here, lad.
0:28:21 > 0:28:24Darren Axe, who did 12 years down the pit before becoming a paramedic,
0:28:24 > 0:28:29is about to give workmates Paul Bradbury and Peter Vallance a taste of life underground.
0:28:32 > 0:28:34Right, put your contraband in here.
0:28:35 > 0:28:41I left school in 1981 and went straight to Frickley Colliery as an apprentice.
0:28:41 > 0:28:43It was the natural thing to do.
0:28:43 > 0:28:47There were three generations of my family working in that place,
0:28:47 > 0:28:50so it just seemed like... I just followed what they did.
0:28:50 > 0:28:52Brian's going to give you one of these each.
0:28:52 > 0:28:56This is what we call a check-in system.
0:28:56 > 0:29:00Their jobs aren't exactly safe, but mining used to be the UK's No 1 killer of men.
0:29:00 > 0:29:03And the crew of the air ambulance spend a lot of their time
0:29:03 > 0:29:06dealing with the victims of accidents at work.
0:29:06 > 0:29:11You're working with machinery and in an environment that, if you don't respect it,
0:29:11 > 0:29:14it will definitely kill you or injure you badly.
0:29:14 > 0:29:17Anything from a set of stepladders to an electric drill.
0:29:17 > 0:29:20They'll do something or they'll use it in the wrong way.
0:29:20 > 0:29:24They'll just not respect that piece of equipment. And then it'll turn round and bite them.
0:29:24 > 0:29:27Sometimes the consequences are quite devastating.
0:29:30 > 0:29:34And Darren knows at first hand how serious some industrial injuries can be.
0:29:38 > 0:29:41In a farmyard workshop, there's been a nasty accident.
0:29:41 > 0:29:48A man restoring an old van has been injured by the power tool he was using.
0:29:48 > 0:29:50It's been under an angle grinder.
0:29:50 > 0:29:53We think 500ml to one litre of blood loss.
0:29:53 > 0:29:58When he's been grinding off that, it's hit a bump and it's shot off, straight into the back of his leg.
0:30:01 > 0:30:041, 2, 3, lift. Right wheel first.
0:30:04 > 0:30:08The patient has lost a lot of blood and needs emergency surgery.
0:30:08 > 0:30:11The tourniquet that has been stopping the bleeding can only
0:30:11 > 0:30:14remain in place for a short time and the clock is ticking.
0:30:14 > 0:30:16Which is where Helimed 99 comes in.
0:30:18 > 0:30:21I feel a bit of a fraud, cos I don't feel that bad.
0:30:21 > 0:30:25No, we'll get him in first.
0:30:25 > 0:30:30It's the old magic wind, me old China. It's nice stuff.
0:30:30 > 0:30:33Trouble is, they make us collect it from mountain tops.
0:30:33 > 0:30:35It's good mountain air in a bottle.
0:30:35 > 0:30:38Doing a marvellous job.
0:30:38 > 0:30:40Ambulance crew, spot on.
0:30:40 > 0:30:45They deserve a massive pay rise and twice as much holiday as what they get.
0:30:45 > 0:30:48But behind the jokes is a real sense of urgency.
0:30:48 > 0:30:51This injury could easily have been fatal.
0:30:51 > 0:30:54It was my own fault. Stupidity.
0:30:54 > 0:30:59The grinder slipped out of my hands and caught my leg.
0:31:00 > 0:31:03He's all right. He's lost a significant amount of blood, really.
0:31:03 > 0:31:06He's tried to hobble out of the place and there's blood everywhere.
0:31:06 > 0:31:10It looked like a scene from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre in his garage.
0:31:10 > 0:31:14Because they don't wait to say sorry, do they, grinders?
0:31:14 > 0:31:17They just carry on doing what they do. "I'm a grinder, here I come."
0:31:20 > 0:31:24You've had better days, haven't you mate? Yeah.
0:31:26 > 0:31:31Not only will the surgeons at the Leeds General Infirmary have to stop the bleeding,
0:31:31 > 0:31:36they also have to check for any nerve damage. And there's a serious risk of infection.
0:31:36 > 0:31:43Luckily, surgery was successful and Mick's now back at work with a new respect for power tools.
0:31:48 > 0:31:53500 ft down, this is where Darren began his medical career as a member of the underground rescue team.
0:31:53 > 0:31:56And the dangers of the coal industry kept him in work.
0:31:58 > 0:32:02My first day underground as a trainee, a poor chap was stood
0:32:02 > 0:32:07in this area, breaking up a large lump of rock.
0:32:07 > 0:32:10And the machine started and just...
0:32:10 > 0:32:12cut him to pieces.
0:32:12 > 0:32:16But there's another industry that still keeps the air ambulance busy today.
0:32:17 > 0:32:21When you get up north, we've got a lot of farming, a lot of agricultural workers.
0:32:21 > 0:32:24And they use a lot of the same sort of machinery that you get
0:32:24 > 0:32:27in heavy industry, plus there's always animals
0:32:27 > 0:32:31that they're dealing with as well that can be very unpredictable.
0:32:31 > 0:32:38So we deal with a lot of agricultural and farmyard type accidents.
0:32:38 > 0:32:41On an isolated farm high in the hills of north Yorkshire, a farmer's been hurt.
0:32:41 > 0:32:47But today, paramedic Paul Bradbury is rather more worried about his own safety.
0:32:47 > 0:32:50The first thing that's going through my mind is where's the bull?
0:32:52 > 0:32:56Farmer Andrew Holgate has been attacked by his prize bull Barry
0:32:56 > 0:32:58at the remote family farm high in the Pennines.
0:33:00 > 0:33:02This is where you need smell-o-vision.
0:33:05 > 0:33:08He's been crushed and could have serious internal injuries.
0:33:08 > 0:33:10Quite a bit of bruising there.
0:33:10 > 0:33:15It's literally put him against the wall and then thrown him out.
0:33:15 > 0:33:17Can you move everything all right?
0:33:17 > 0:33:18- No pins and needles?- No.
0:33:18 > 0:33:22- Just caught your thigh, not hurting anywhere else?- No.
0:33:22 > 0:33:25He got himself out and stood up and somebody working up there heard him
0:33:25 > 0:33:28and Edward had said, "Daddy's lying down in the straw."
0:33:28 > 0:33:31Which was not like Daddy, to lie down in the straw.
0:33:31 > 0:33:36So we came out and he insisted he would be all right and just needed a bit of a rest, to lie down.
0:33:36 > 0:33:39But we decided to call. If he hadn't have been thrown out, it would have killed him.
0:33:39 > 0:33:44It's the first time the farmer has been laid up by his own livestock.
0:33:44 > 0:33:46No, no.
0:33:46 > 0:33:53No, heck as like. I won't say never again, as well.
0:33:53 > 0:33:59Farming's one of the UK's most dangerous occupations, especially in remote areas.
0:33:59 > 0:34:03But this farmer's flight to hospital will only take a few minutes.
0:34:05 > 0:34:08Don't worry. If we drop you, you're in the right place.
0:34:08 > 0:34:11Only a scan will reveal the extent of farmer Andrew's injuries.
0:34:11 > 0:34:15But the bull's name betrays its fearsome reputation.
0:34:15 > 0:34:20He's got a nickname for the bull. It's Barry the...
0:34:20 > 0:34:21bar steward, I think.
0:34:21 > 0:34:23I think he said bar steward.
0:34:25 > 0:34:27Nobody's going to sing hi-ho?
0:34:27 > 0:34:31But Paul knows even the most modern work environments can have accidents.
0:34:31 > 0:34:35In a warehouse in North Yorkshire, a pallet has fallen off a forklift truck.
0:34:35 > 0:34:42One storeman is already on his way to hospital by road and another has a badly broken ankle.
0:34:42 > 0:34:45Helimed 99 is dropping into the factory yard.
0:34:45 > 0:34:50- Do you think you can land on the concrete?- Can do.
0:34:50 > 0:34:56On the left hand side of that concrete, there's some packaging.
0:34:56 > 0:34:58- You're looking at the red topped packaging?- Yeah.
0:34:58 > 0:35:02Yeah, I think it's something that's tied onto a pallet.
0:35:02 > 0:35:06Pilot Steve Cobb prides himself on getting into some tight spots.
0:35:10 > 0:35:14It's been a squeeze, but they're down.
0:35:16 > 0:35:19This gentleman's got a compound fracture on his right ankle.
0:35:19 > 0:35:21Moving his toes.
0:35:21 > 0:35:24Paramedics Paul and Simon have been called in because they carry strong painkillers.
0:35:24 > 0:35:26..the force of it, basically.
0:35:26 > 0:35:28There were lots of bags on top of him, up to his chest.
0:35:28 > 0:35:34The warehouse's first-aiders have done the right thing and left him where he fell.
0:35:34 > 0:35:36- Are you nervous about needles or anything?- Yes.
0:35:36 > 0:35:37Well don't look. Just relax your arm.
0:35:37 > 0:35:43There's no pulse in the patient's lower leg and that means he's in danger of losing his foot.
0:35:43 > 0:35:48Each minute that passes without proper blood flow increases the risk.
0:35:48 > 0:35:54Just looking at what's hit him, we suspect a spinal and back injury.
0:35:54 > 0:35:56So we're going to start immobilising his spine in a minute.
0:35:56 > 0:35:59Obviously, at the moment, we can't get a collar around his neck.
0:35:59 > 0:36:03He's not moving anywhere, so we'll get some pain relief
0:36:03 > 0:36:06on board and then we'll start stabilising him a little bit more.
0:36:06 > 0:36:09You can see from his ankle it's quite a nasty fractured ankle.
0:36:09 > 0:36:14We need to ascertain whether he's got any blood passing that, whether he's got a pulse.
0:36:14 > 0:36:17They tried to get a pulse initially and they can't get one.
0:36:17 > 0:36:21So were going to put a bit of traction on that, once the pain relief's kicked in.
0:36:21 > 0:36:23And then we'll try to manipulate it around a little bit.
0:36:23 > 0:36:25Whichever way we do it, it's going to be painful,
0:36:25 > 0:36:29so will try to give him as much pain relief as we can to start off with.
0:36:29 > 0:36:32If it's too painful, Eddie, put your arm up in the air and we'll stop, all right?
0:36:36 > 0:36:40The painkillers have done their job and in seconds, his leg is straight.
0:36:40 > 0:36:42That's the worst bit over with.
0:36:42 > 0:36:46The storeman's now ready for his flight to the hospital in Harrogate.
0:36:46 > 0:36:52If the pain gets any worse, give Simon a prod in the ribs, he'll give you something else.
0:36:52 > 0:36:55X-rays will reveal that his broken ankle was his only injury.
0:36:55 > 0:37:00We got the team at Harrogate waiting for him so it shouldn't be too long now.
0:37:00 > 0:37:06But first, Helimed 99's pilot Steve has to reverse out of his tight parking spot in the factory yard.
0:37:09 > 0:37:11Watch out for that debris, boys.
0:37:11 > 0:37:16The break was bad, but their patient is slowly recovering.
0:37:19 > 0:37:24Meanwhile, the crew of Helimed 99 are coming up for air after an hour underground.
0:37:24 > 0:37:28And paramedic Darren has no plans to go back to his first job.
0:37:28 > 0:37:32It was a different type of camaraderie.
0:37:32 > 0:37:37Everybody watched each other's back, everybody washed each other's back.
0:37:37 > 0:37:40How many men could you trust to do that these days?
0:37:42 > 0:37:45I enjoy what I do now, it's a great job.
0:37:45 > 0:37:50I've gone from 2000ft underground to 2000ft in the air, I don't want to go back in the other direction.
0:37:55 > 0:37:58I'm pleased to say that all three accident victims are now back at work.
0:37:58 > 0:38:04But up in North Yorkshire, another group of workmates are waiting to hear news of an injured colleague.
0:38:05 > 0:38:09Helimed 99 answered an early morning call to the stables belonging to one
0:38:09 > 0:38:12of the country's most famous racing trainers, Mick Easterby.
0:38:12 > 0:38:16One of his top riders, Kate Bosanquet, has come off on the gallops.
0:38:16 > 0:38:18She's stopped breathing.
0:38:18 > 0:38:20I put her head back and gave her mouth-to-mouth.
0:38:20 > 0:38:23One of her jockey colleagues Oliver knew what to do.
0:38:23 > 0:38:25He gave her the kiss of life and brought her back.
0:38:37 > 0:38:40After her early morning fall, Kate spent the next few days in a coma.
0:38:40 > 0:38:45Her brain was taking time out but she was recovering.
0:38:46 > 0:38:49Oliver is turning into work to exercise the horses as normal.
0:38:49 > 0:38:55The first aid training he learnt at school undoubtedly saved Kate's life.
0:38:55 > 0:38:56She just slipped over basically.
0:38:56 > 0:39:00Her eyes were closed. She wasn't breathing or responding or anything.
0:39:00 > 0:39:02Her tongue was out, so I put that in.
0:39:04 > 0:39:07I started doing CPR, basically.
0:39:07 > 0:39:10Amazingly, she started breathing. It was amazing.
0:39:12 > 0:39:15I can't imagine what was going through his mind.
0:39:15 > 0:39:18I've never had to actually witness an incident and then start dealing with it.
0:39:18 > 0:39:23Fortunately, I come along at some stage and get stuck in with the training that I've had.
0:39:23 > 0:39:29This young man stood up to the plate and got stuck in straight away with the best knowledge that he had.
0:39:29 > 0:39:31I knew that it can be deadly.
0:39:31 > 0:39:34The body is quite robust.
0:39:34 > 0:39:37It's like an engine, it will get going again.
0:39:37 > 0:39:41I was almost in tears, I was so happy, do you know what I mean?
0:39:41 > 0:39:45I almost thought she was dead when I saw her.
0:39:45 > 0:39:47And then...yeah.
0:39:47 > 0:39:51It took me a long time to get over it really.
0:39:51 > 0:39:57At the time, I felt OK, but every night it kept going through my head, what happened.
0:39:59 > 0:40:03And there's good news. After three weeks in hospital, Kate is up and about.
0:40:03 > 0:40:08Physically, she's much better, but she's having to relearn simple things like making a bacon sandwich.
0:40:08 > 0:40:13But it's a long road to recovery yet.
0:40:13 > 0:40:16The first couple of days, I was out of it anyway.
0:40:16 > 0:40:21They just sedated me and kept me quiet.
0:40:21 > 0:40:25And then when I woke up, probably the first three or four days I was very, very sore.
0:40:25 > 0:40:32And I just slept mainly and ate and that was it.
0:40:32 > 0:40:33Well done.
0:40:33 > 0:40:36She's making astonishing progress.
0:40:36 > 0:40:39From a coma, to intensive care, and now rehab.
0:40:39 > 0:40:42In a few weeks' time, back home.
0:40:45 > 0:40:46And today's the day.
0:40:46 > 0:40:50Back at Mick Easterby's racing stables, there's a few friends delighted to see Kate back.
0:40:50 > 0:40:53And so's the boss.
0:40:54 > 0:40:58Give me a kiss. She's a lovely girl, a lovely girl.
0:40:58 > 0:41:01But there's one special mate she wants to meet up with.
0:41:03 > 0:41:05Hi, Olly, you all right?
0:41:05 > 0:41:09So how do you say thank you to the guy who saved your life?
0:41:09 > 0:41:11It's an awkward moment, but Kate manages to find the words.
0:41:11 > 0:41:16When they told me that Oliver had given me mouth-to-mouth
0:41:16 > 0:41:20and turned me over on to my side and looked after me, I was just amazed.
0:41:20 > 0:41:23He was just brilliant, I want to thank him so much.
0:41:23 > 0:41:30He's a very, very genuine person who seems to be able to deal with situations absolutely brilliantly.
0:41:30 > 0:41:33So I was very lucky that he was there that day.
0:41:35 > 0:41:40And this is definitely a life-changing experience in the case of that was very near death.
0:41:42 > 0:41:49The helicopter lands on top of the LGI, which is an eight-floor building, and I was on the 7th floor.
0:41:49 > 0:41:52And I was there for just over two weeks.
0:41:52 > 0:41:55I think getting there so quickly made a huge difference.
0:41:55 > 0:41:58My best guess for why she stopped breathing was either initially
0:41:58 > 0:42:03the head injury or the fact that she perhaps had mud in her mouth that needed clearing.
0:42:03 > 0:42:05She really only had minutes to live.
0:42:05 > 0:42:10I just feel like I do owe him my life, big-time.
0:42:10 > 0:42:14I'm sure we'll stay friends forever.
0:42:14 > 0:42:17Kate's now thinking of doing a first-aid course herself
0:42:17 > 0:42:20to learn the skills that Oliver used to save her life.
0:42:20 > 0:42:23Now, when Helicopter Heroes comes back...
0:42:23 > 0:42:27There's chaos on the M1 as the team fight to free two trapped drivers.
0:42:27 > 0:42:30HE GROANS WITH PAIN
0:42:30 > 0:42:31He's trapped by his legs and his feet.
0:42:33 > 0:42:36A golfer is struck down on the fairway by a heart attack.
0:42:36 > 0:42:40Her pain started on the 7th.
0:42:42 > 0:42:45The team race to a rush-hour accident.
0:42:45 > 0:42:48He's in a great deal of pain. It's affecting his whole body.
0:42:48 > 0:42:52And pilot Matt faces a tense emergency landing.
0:42:52 > 0:42:56If the transmission fails, then we'll be going downwards rather rapidly.
0:43:08 > 0:43:10Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:43:10 > 0:43:12Email subtitling@bbc.co.uk