0:00:01 > 0:00:05When you're with someone that'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 > 0:00:12A helicopter like this can be one of the most beautiful sights in the world.
0:00:12 > 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.
0:00:39 > 0:00:45From the Dales to the cities of Leeds and Sheffield, patients in the UK's biggest county
0:00:45 > 0:00:47are never more than ten minutes from a hospital,
0:00:47 > 0:00:51thanks to this 150 mile an hour life-saver,
0:00:51 > 0:00:53and every day brings a new life or death emergency
0:00:53 > 0:00:56for its team of flying paramedics.
0:00:56 > 0:01:00Two helicopters, four paramedics, five million patients.
0:01:00 > 0:01:03Today, on Helicopter Heroes...
0:01:03 > 0:01:09there's chaos on the M1 as the team fight to free two trapped drivers.
0:01:09 > 0:01:11He's trapped by his legs and his feet.
0:01:12 > 0:01:16A golfer is struck down on the fairway by a heart attack.
0:01:16 > 0:01:20- The pain started on the 7th. - Yes, on the 7th.
0:01:22 > 0:01:24The team race to a rush-hour accident.
0:01:25 > 0:01:28He's in a great deal of pain. It's affected his whole body.
0:01:30 > 0:01:32And pilot Matt faces a tense emergency landing.
0:01:32 > 0:01:37If the transmission fails, then we'll be going downwards rather rapidly.
0:01:41 > 0:01:44We're covering the ground at over two miles a minute,
0:01:44 > 0:01:48so it's no wonder this helicopter is often first at the scene,
0:01:48 > 0:01:51but when two paramedics and a pilot touch down at a motorway pile-up,
0:01:51 > 0:01:53they're often on their own.
0:01:55 > 0:02:01In South Yorkshire, there's been a huge pile-up on one of the country's busiest motorways.
0:02:01 > 0:02:06There's one lad trapped in the van, there's another lorry driver trapped, two vehicles back,
0:02:06 > 0:02:10and an injury to a person who was changing a wheel on the hard shoulder,
0:02:10 > 0:02:12and we're treating it as quite a major incident.
0:02:12 > 0:02:16Helimed 98 is scrambled straightaway.
0:02:16 > 0:02:21The trapped truckers need their help, and at 150 miles an hour, the crew will soon be there.
0:02:22 > 0:02:25We've got reports of an RTC with more than three lorries.
0:02:25 > 0:02:29Our flying time from the airport is about two minutes to get there.
0:02:29 > 0:02:32100 tons of twisted metal is blocking one side of the M1.
0:02:33 > 0:02:36The trapped drivers have survived the huge impact,
0:02:36 > 0:02:42but with other emergency services battling through the traffic, they need the helicopter, fast.
0:02:42 > 0:02:45There's not normally as many casualties with lorries -
0:02:45 > 0:02:48there's normally just one driver rather than a car with
0:02:48 > 0:02:52three or four passengers in, so there could be slow impact or there could
0:02:52 > 0:02:56be quite high impact, but hopefully not, hopefully it will be a slow one.
0:02:57 > 0:03:01One has got the steering wheel right into his abdomen.
0:03:01 > 0:03:04Paramedics Paul Bradbury and Simon Kavanagh are first on the scene,
0:03:04 > 0:03:08and must now split up to quickly assess each driver.
0:03:08 > 0:03:11Even though both patients are awake and talking,
0:03:11 > 0:03:14they could both have serious internal injuries.
0:03:16 > 0:03:19- All right.- BLEEP, BLEEP.- All right.
0:03:21 > 0:03:25Paramedic Paul immediately spots the driver of the white van is in trouble.
0:03:25 > 0:03:31Matthew Marsh is in severe pain and showing all the signs of internal bleeding.
0:03:31 > 0:03:33Right, we've got three casualties here.
0:03:33 > 0:03:35This is by far the worst casualty.
0:03:35 > 0:03:39He's run into the back of the container vehicle.
0:03:39 > 0:03:41He's trapped by his legs and his feet.
0:03:41 > 0:03:44Matthew needs fluids to prevent him going into shock,
0:03:44 > 0:03:48but his blood vessels are contracting as a reaction to the crash,
0:03:48 > 0:03:52and finding a vein for a life-saving drip isn't easy.
0:03:53 > 0:03:56He's got the steering wheel stuck onto his abdomen, which we can't move,
0:03:56 > 0:04:01and he's got the foot pedals of the van itself stuck onto his feet, which we can't move.
0:04:01 > 0:04:04We'll try and stabilise him. Then the Fire Service will hopefully
0:04:04 > 0:04:06pull it off him and then we can try and get him out.
0:04:06 > 0:04:08This is a race against time.
0:04:08 > 0:04:11Just metres from where Paul is treating his patient,
0:04:11 > 0:04:14inflammable fuel is gushing out of the wreckage.
0:04:14 > 0:04:17With traffic still driving past,
0:04:17 > 0:04:20this is a very dangerous place to be.
0:04:20 > 0:04:23Meanwhile, paramedic Simon has got problems of his own.
0:04:23 > 0:04:27Nigel Exton is pinned into his seat by the steering wheel.
0:04:27 > 0:04:29He's got a broken leg, we think.
0:04:29 > 0:04:32No other injuries, nothing life-threatening at the minute, OK?
0:04:33 > 0:04:37Simon needs to treat the broken leg and rule out internal injuries,
0:04:37 > 0:04:40but first he needs to find a way to free Nigel.
0:04:40 > 0:04:43The Fire Brigade have the answer, and they call them,
0:04:43 > 0:04:45"The jaws of life".
0:04:49 > 0:04:53There's little these hugely powerful cutters can't slice through.
0:04:53 > 0:04:55Come on, he's clear now, I've got it.
0:04:55 > 0:05:00One slip here and Simon could have a serious injury to deal with.
0:05:00 > 0:05:03Finally, the pressure on Nigel's stomach is relieved,
0:05:03 > 0:05:06but he's still stuck in the crushed cab.
0:05:06 > 0:05:08The crew now need to find a way to get Nigel out
0:05:08 > 0:05:11so Simon can treat his broken leg.
0:05:12 > 0:05:15In the white van, driver Matthew is still trapped.
0:05:15 > 0:05:18The fire crews are desperately trying to release him,
0:05:18 > 0:05:21and paramedic Paul is still stabilising his condition,
0:05:21 > 0:05:25but Matthew also needs pilot Tim Taylor's help.
0:05:25 > 0:05:29The plan will be we're going to close the opposite carriageway
0:05:29 > 0:05:33and reposition the Air Ambulance just to the front of the vehicles here
0:05:33 > 0:05:36so we can lay the patient up and then take him to hospital.
0:05:36 > 0:05:40Ex-Army pilot Tim has landed choppers whilst dodging enemy fire
0:05:40 > 0:05:44in Iraq, but this manoeuvre is also fraught with danger.
0:05:44 > 0:05:48Vehicles and debris is littered across the carriageway,
0:05:48 > 0:05:52and the motorway is lined by crash barriers and road signs.
0:05:54 > 0:05:57Both drivers have now been trapped for over half an hour,
0:05:57 > 0:06:00and both Paul and Simon want their patients out.
0:06:00 > 0:06:04It's now up to the fire crews to find a way to release Matthew and Nigel.
0:06:04 > 0:06:07But can they do it before their conditions deteriorate?
0:06:13 > 0:06:17Coming up, the Fire Brigade start to take apart Matthew's van.
0:06:17 > 0:06:22At the moment, he's absolutely trapped solid with his abdomen.
0:06:23 > 0:06:27Paramedics Daz and Pete race to the rescue of a badly injured motorist.
0:06:27 > 0:06:31He's in a great deal of pain. It's affected his whole body.
0:06:32 > 0:06:35And a businessman gets cardiac care at his desk.
0:06:35 > 0:06:38- It's just on the peak there, isn't it.- Yeah.
0:06:44 > 0:06:47A heart attack can strike at any time,
0:06:47 > 0:06:51and it can take the emergency services vital minutes to reach you,
0:06:51 > 0:06:54especially when you're halfway through a round of golf.
0:06:54 > 0:06:58When the sun shines, the greens of Yorkshire fill up with the regulars.
0:06:58 > 0:07:02They are mainly middle-aged, some are pensioners.
0:07:02 > 0:07:06In fact, exactly the age range most at risk of heart disease.
0:07:07 > 0:07:11And on a golf course less than a mile away from Air Ambulance HQ,
0:07:11 > 0:07:13a golfer has collapsed.
0:07:14 > 0:07:19It's a crew that are on the scene with a lady who's having a heart attack
0:07:19 > 0:07:21at Horsforth Golf Club.
0:07:23 > 0:07:27Golfer Anne Tye's round has come to an abrupt end, on the tenth fairway.
0:07:27 > 0:07:31She is having a heart attack and is fighting for her life.
0:07:31 > 0:07:34Her pain started on the seventh.
0:07:34 > 0:07:37- She didn't say anything... - And this is the tenth.
0:07:37 > 0:07:41Anne's in a critical condition and needs specialist hospital care fast.
0:07:41 > 0:07:44Helimed 99 is immediately despatched.
0:07:44 > 0:07:47- On course.- Roger.- In that position.
0:07:47 > 0:07:51- Got harnesses.- Locked and- tight. Locked and tight in the rear.
0:07:51 > 0:07:52On the nose. Looking good.
0:07:52 > 0:07:55It's one of their shortest ever flights.
0:07:55 > 0:07:58They're on the ground in just two minutes!
0:08:01 > 0:08:03This is Anne Tye.
0:08:03 > 0:08:05- She's 71.- Hello, Anne.
0:08:05 > 0:08:08Normally hypertensive,
0:08:08 > 0:08:11on medication for that. She's no known other cardiac history
0:08:11 > 0:08:13and not ischemic heart disease.
0:08:13 > 0:08:16She was playing golf and approximately an hour ago
0:08:16 > 0:08:21she started with some central chest pains, radiating to her neck and her back.
0:08:21 > 0:08:25Anne's golf partners knew she was feeling unwell, but are still in shock.
0:08:25 > 0:08:30We stopped on the ninth cos it's like, you have to wait, you know, because people are queuing up.
0:08:30 > 0:08:35She said she felt a bit better after that, but then to come back on...
0:08:35 > 0:08:38And then the colour drained from her face just then.
0:08:38 > 0:08:41Paramedics Pat and Sammy must work fast.
0:08:41 > 0:08:43Ground paramedics have stabilised Anne,
0:08:43 > 0:08:47but they're all acutely aware she could go into cardiac arrest at any time.
0:08:47 > 0:08:50I'm gonna move your arm down, OK? Pop your head down.
0:08:50 > 0:08:52That's it. Pop your head down, Anne.
0:08:52 > 0:08:56The crew also know that one of the country's leading cardiac centres,
0:08:56 > 0:08:59Leeds General Infirmary, is only ten minutes away.
0:09:00 > 0:09:03In this case, because it's a possible heart attack,
0:09:03 > 0:09:07an MI, so the sooner we can get to angioplasty the better.
0:09:07 > 0:09:10The quickest way for her, this lady is taken by helicopter.
0:09:10 > 0:09:12Pick up here, straight down to the LGI,
0:09:12 > 0:09:17we'll be there in two or three minutes, and then straight into surgery, if necessary.
0:09:17 > 0:09:19Mind all your fingers.
0:09:19 > 0:09:21- Fingers out.- It's cruel.
0:09:21 > 0:09:23You feel a bit uncomfortable?
0:09:23 > 0:09:27What, in the centre of your chest? OK, Anne.
0:09:28 > 0:09:30Helimed 9 Alpha is ready.
0:09:30 > 0:09:32As Steve starts up, there's a problem.
0:09:34 > 0:09:37The golf course is so close to Leeds Bradford Airport
0:09:37 > 0:09:42that before they can take off, pilot Steve must wait for clearance from Air Traffic Control.
0:09:42 > 0:09:44The traffic is clear down to the south.
0:09:44 > 0:09:47Helimed 9 Alpha.
0:09:47 > 0:09:51Helimed 9 Alpha just standing traffic at one and a half miles now, leaving very shortly.
0:09:51 > 0:09:52Roger.
0:09:52 > 0:09:55Air traffic control always gives Helimed 99 priority,
0:09:55 > 0:09:58but a plane full of holidaymakers is about to land.
0:10:00 > 0:10:04- OK, we're holding in case we have to go around.- OK.
0:10:04 > 0:10:06Vital seconds are being lost.
0:10:13 > 0:10:16Finally, the plane lands and Steve gets clearance to take off.
0:10:16 > 0:10:22It's now a race against time to get Anne to hospital in case her condition deteriorates.
0:10:24 > 0:10:28We're going to be a couple of minutes onto the LGI helipad, OK, my love.
0:10:33 > 0:10:3630 minutes ago, Anne was teeing off on the tenth hole.
0:10:36 > 0:10:40Now she's landing on top of a major hospital, preparing for a diagnosis
0:10:40 > 0:10:42that could change her life forever.
0:10:44 > 0:10:47The team of cardiologists are waiting inside to assess Anne.
0:10:49 > 0:10:53Sammy and Pat have done all they can, but Anne's heart could be badly damaged,
0:10:53 > 0:10:57and it will be an agonising wait to find out whether she'll make a full recovery.
0:10:57 > 0:11:02Right, you'll just feel yourself going down a bit of a slope, but are you are safe, all right.
0:11:04 > 0:11:08The next day, and Anne is still being carefully monitored.
0:11:08 > 0:11:12She's undergone numerous tests, scans and examinations
0:11:12 > 0:11:15in what has been a traumatic 24 hours for her and her family.
0:11:15 > 0:11:18For about an hour or so, I'd not really been feeling that well
0:11:18 > 0:11:22but then suddenly I just felt worse.
0:11:23 > 0:11:29The next thing I knew was that there was a paramedic car coming across the golf course!
0:11:29 > 0:11:32But Anne's ordeal is not over - in fact, it's barely begun.
0:11:32 > 0:11:35The scans have revealed that four arteries
0:11:35 > 0:11:39leading in and out of her heart are blocked and could cause heart failure at any moment.
0:11:40 > 0:11:43Anne's lucky to have survived yesterday's heart attack,
0:11:43 > 0:11:48but now she faces the prospect of a risky triple bypass.
0:11:48 > 0:11:50Well, it's open heart surgery,
0:11:50 > 0:11:57so the heart is cooled and they're taking veins from my legs
0:11:57 > 0:12:02and replacing the arteries that are blocked.
0:12:02 > 0:12:04I'm not too sure yet how many they're doing.
0:12:04 > 0:12:10I think there's at least two, possibly three, so I shan't know that until afterwards,
0:12:10 > 0:12:14so it really is a major operation.
0:12:14 > 0:12:17Anne's family are all at her bedside to support her.
0:12:17 > 0:12:21For daughter, Sue, seeing her mum like this has come as a surprise.
0:12:23 > 0:12:24I'm still in shock.
0:12:24 > 0:12:28I always thought she was actually fitter than I was, you know.
0:12:28 > 0:12:31There's no history, she's got a good diet,
0:12:31 > 0:12:35she does everything right, you know, everything.
0:12:35 > 0:12:38It was just... We still just can't believe
0:12:38 > 0:12:41that she's got something like that wrong with her.
0:12:42 > 0:12:46I don't like to dwell on it too much, really. I just think well,
0:12:46 > 0:12:51it's going to be a big help to me, afterwards,
0:12:51 > 0:12:53rather than just medication or something,
0:12:53 > 0:12:57hopefully I can get back to playing golf again.
0:13:02 > 0:13:04Coming up on Helicopter Heroes...
0:13:04 > 0:13:10Paramedic Pat takes up golf, but will his patient be able to join him on the fairway?
0:13:12 > 0:13:15On the M1, fuel is leaking from a wrecked lorry,
0:13:15 > 0:13:18but the Fire Brigade must start cutting.
0:13:18 > 0:13:21His right foot's trapped, so we're trying to release that.
0:13:23 > 0:13:25It's definitely central, in the middle of your chest?
0:13:25 > 0:13:29And a patient gets first aid on the phone, from paramedic Lee.
0:13:34 > 0:13:36It's bad enough being stuck in a jam any day,
0:13:36 > 0:13:41but sometimes traffic congestion can mean the difference between life and death,
0:13:41 > 0:13:43which is where an air ambulance comes into its own.
0:13:43 > 0:13:47It's going to be a long drive home in the rain tonight.
0:13:47 > 0:13:52There's a road traffic collision on Otley Bypass. It's not too far away and LGI's the nearest.
0:13:52 > 0:13:55Paul, we've got it on the bypass.
0:13:55 > 0:13:58I don't know if you heard that conversation with the cops.
0:13:58 > 0:14:02We've got a high speed impact and he believes someone's trapped.
0:14:02 > 0:14:04The crew of Helimed 99 are on the way to a busy route
0:14:04 > 0:14:08from Leeds to the commuter towns of the Wharfe Valley.
0:14:08 > 0:14:14Paramedic Darren Axe and flying doctor Andy Poutney know their skills are urgently needed.
0:14:14 > 0:14:17Motorist John Dickinson was giving his daughter, Sally,
0:14:17 > 0:14:20a lift home from hospital when the accident happened.
0:14:20 > 0:14:26She's not badly hurt but John is trapped in the wreckage of his car, with multiple injuries.
0:14:26 > 0:14:29He's in a great deal of pain and he looks to have
0:14:29 > 0:14:31a multi-system trauma really.
0:14:31 > 0:14:33It's affecting his whole body,
0:14:33 > 0:14:36so he needs to go to hospital as soon as possible.
0:14:36 > 0:14:41We've given him pain relief but he's still got significant levels of pain so we need to get him off
0:14:41 > 0:14:44as soon as possible and get him stabilised properly.
0:14:44 > 0:14:47The paramedics' jobs have been made easier.
0:14:47 > 0:14:51By sheer chance, two GPs were passing the scene,
0:14:51 > 0:14:54one on his bike, and started treatment immediately.
0:14:54 > 0:14:57We're just gonna give you something for the pain.
0:14:57 > 0:15:01It's important that the doctors, first aiders on the scene don't make
0:15:01 > 0:15:05the problem worse by interfering before the experts arrive,
0:15:05 > 0:15:07and that's what we were waiting for,
0:15:07 > 0:15:09the ambulance and the air ambulance.
0:15:09 > 0:15:13For the Fire Brigade, this is a difficult rescue.
0:15:13 > 0:15:16John is trapped by his legs, but his condition is serious.
0:15:16 > 0:15:19Speed is vital.
0:15:19 > 0:15:23We're currently in the process of taking the roof off of that vehicle.
0:15:23 > 0:15:28Once we've got the roof off the vehicle we can put a long board into the vehicle,
0:15:28 > 0:15:31down the back of his seat, between the seat and himself.
0:15:31 > 0:15:36We can then slide him up the long board and extricate him from the vehicle and have him away.
0:15:36 > 0:15:40Pilot Paul Curtis is used to being asked to fetch and carry medical equipment.
0:15:40 > 0:15:43It's the one that looks like a weightlifter's belt.
0:15:43 > 0:15:47If you could just get it out and have it handy, that's all.
0:15:47 > 0:15:52Sally has a serious heart condition and was on her way home from an examination when the crash happened.
0:15:52 > 0:15:55Now, she's on her way back to hospital for a check-up
0:15:55 > 0:15:57but her father is very ill.
0:15:57 > 0:16:00The paramedics have serious concerns for John.
0:16:00 > 0:16:02He needs intensive care, now.
0:16:02 > 0:16:06His breathing is not good. He's probably got a left flail segment.
0:16:06 > 0:16:11He's not got a pneumothorax as such, but certainly a lot of crepitus on the left side.
0:16:11 > 0:16:17He's got a fairly rigid belly and very tender pelvis.
0:16:17 > 0:16:20He's had just ten of morphine and I think 35 of ketamine,
0:16:20 > 0:16:23which has allowed us to get him out. That's about it.
0:16:23 > 0:16:26We'll be taking off in about five minutes, I would have thought.
0:16:28 > 0:16:33The Intensive Care Unit at Leeds General Infirmary is just ten miles away,
0:16:33 > 0:16:37but even at 150 miles an hour, it will seem a long flight for the medical team.
0:16:42 > 0:16:45Tests show that John has broken almost every bone in his body.
0:16:46 > 0:16:50Over the next two weeks, doctors called his family to his bedside three times
0:16:50 > 0:16:54because he wasn't expected to last the night,
0:16:54 > 0:16:58but sometimes miracles do happen.
0:16:58 > 0:17:01Christmas, four months after the crash,
0:17:01 > 0:17:04and John is out, delivering his cards.
0:17:04 > 0:17:07He may not be mobile yet, but this is good enough for his wife.
0:17:07 > 0:17:12I was taken in twice by the doctor and told that things weren't going
0:17:12 > 0:17:18as well as they should and that there was a great possibility that he wouldn't survive.
0:17:18 > 0:17:21It takes you a long time to realise that this is actually
0:17:21 > 0:17:24happening to you and isn't a dream that you're going to wake up from.
0:17:26 > 0:17:32I don't remember the accident or the immediate follow-up to the accident.
0:17:32 > 0:17:35I then remember a fireman
0:17:35 > 0:17:39pushing out my window so he could cut the roof off
0:17:39 > 0:17:43and I remember taking off in the air ambulance,
0:17:43 > 0:17:46but apart from that, I just don't have memories of that day.
0:17:46 > 0:17:50- Where are we? - You're in the helicopter, mate.
0:17:50 > 0:17:53- Good!- I bet you're glad!
0:17:53 > 0:17:58Somebody told me I had 16 broken ribs, both hips were broken,
0:17:58 > 0:18:00my pelvis was broken,
0:18:00 > 0:18:05I had several breaks down my legs, to both legs,
0:18:05 > 0:18:07and a broken left wrist.
0:18:07 > 0:18:12Well, the air ambulance was an absolutely godsend on the day.
0:18:15 > 0:18:18Obviously I was very badly hurt
0:18:18 > 0:18:22and I needed to be got into the specialist unit as quickly as possible,
0:18:22 > 0:18:28and at half past four in the evening, getting into Leeds could have been a real problem.
0:18:28 > 0:18:30Something like the air ambulance
0:18:30 > 0:18:32is absolutely wonderful!
0:18:33 > 0:18:36And with John home in time for Christmas,
0:18:36 > 0:18:40his neighbours have pushed the boat out on the festive lights to celebrate,
0:18:40 > 0:18:42and raise some money to say thanks.
0:18:44 > 0:18:47It looks absolutely superb.
0:18:47 > 0:18:51Incredibly tacky, that's what we go for, there's nothing subtle.
0:18:51 > 0:18:55The money raised will help the air ambulance.
0:18:55 > 0:19:01I know it's small beer in the total amount that they need each year to keep running,
0:19:01 > 0:19:03but every little helps.
0:19:09 > 0:19:16Coming up, paramedic Lee takes a life-saving phone call from a patient taken ill at the roadside.
0:19:16 > 0:19:18It's definitely in the middle of your chest?
0:19:20 > 0:19:23And Pat takes a trip to find out how one of his former patients is
0:19:23 > 0:19:27getting on after a sudden heart attack at the golf club.
0:19:34 > 0:19:37Now, let's catch up on the rescue operation to free two drivers
0:19:37 > 0:19:41trapped in their cabs on the M1 near Sheffield.
0:19:42 > 0:19:46On the M1 in South Yorkshire, there's traffic chaos as the crew
0:19:46 > 0:19:51of Helimed 98 fight to free two drivers trapped in their cabs.
0:19:51 > 0:19:54- All right.- BLEEP. BLEEP.
0:19:54 > 0:19:56This is by far the worst casualty.
0:19:56 > 0:19:59He's run into the back of the container vehicle,
0:19:59 > 0:20:01trapped by his legs and his feet.
0:20:01 > 0:20:05It's been half an hour, and they're still pinned in their seats.
0:20:05 > 0:20:10All right, Nigel. We're going to move you out, now. How's your pain?
0:20:10 > 0:20:12Right. Is everybody ready?
0:20:12 > 0:20:15Trucker Nigel was listening to Radio 2 when he crashed, and it
0:20:15 > 0:20:20has provided a bizarre soundtrack to the rescue operation so far.
0:20:20 > 0:20:23KEN BRUCE: Cerrone, Supernature.
0:20:23 > 0:20:26JINGLE: BBC Radio 2.
0:20:26 > 0:20:30But now, Nigel is about to get a mention.
0:20:30 > 0:20:33'A couple of lanes are closed if you're on the M1.'
0:20:33 > 0:20:38'I believe the air ambulance has now landed, which means they will close the road in both directions.'
0:20:38 > 0:20:44The steering wheel that was trapping Nigel has been cut away by firefighters.
0:20:44 > 0:20:49Now they face the delicate task of moving him without causing further damage to his badly broken leg.
0:20:49 > 0:20:53- We're nearly there.- Straighten this one out. This one's fine.
0:20:54 > 0:20:56Right, on three. One, two, three.
0:20:59 > 0:21:02And he's out...but Nigel won't be flying today.
0:21:02 > 0:21:07The chopper is reserved for the van driver, whose injuries are more serious.
0:21:07 > 0:21:12No, he's not on any medication as far as he can remember.
0:21:12 > 0:21:14He's not been knocked out.
0:21:14 > 0:21:20With an empty motorway ahead of them, the ambulance crew will soon have Nigel in hospital.
0:21:22 > 0:21:27But van driver Matthew is still a long way from the medical treatment he desperately needs.
0:21:27 > 0:21:29He's reasonably pain-free at the moment,
0:21:29 > 0:21:31so we've dosed him up on morphine.
0:21:31 > 0:21:35All his obs are fine, so we're going to try and get him out this way,
0:21:35 > 0:21:37and if that doesn't work, we'll try plan C.
0:21:38 > 0:21:42The twisted wreckage of Matthew's van is wrapped around his broken leg.
0:21:42 > 0:21:47The cab is half the length it was before the pile-up.
0:21:47 > 0:21:52The Fire Brigade can't reach him from the front, so half a ton of
0:21:52 > 0:21:57kitchen surfaces will have to go, so they can try from another angle.
0:21:57 > 0:22:00The Fire Service now are going to relieve the pressure on his abdomen
0:22:00 > 0:22:04by lifting the steering wheel with a chain and a ram.
0:22:04 > 0:22:07Hopefully, that will be enough so we can get him out.
0:22:07 > 0:22:11We've already taken the back out of the van, so we can try and slide him back.
0:22:11 > 0:22:14At the moment he's trapped solid with his abdomen.
0:22:14 > 0:22:17Half an hour ago, Matthew was on his way to another delivery
0:22:17 > 0:22:21and looking forward to moving house tomorrow. Now, he's seriously injured.
0:22:21 > 0:22:25I can't see behind him. Can he come back about two or three inches from where he is now?
0:22:25 > 0:22:28Not until we get through this thing.
0:22:28 > 0:22:33Right, Matthew, if you can listen to me, we're going to start cutting through. It's going to vibrate.
0:22:33 > 0:22:36If it hurts, tell me, and I'll get them to stop, all right?
0:22:36 > 0:22:41His condition is stable but his rescuers know that that could change at any minute.
0:22:41 > 0:22:46- You might hear a bit of a bang. - Make sure that when that seat goes that somebody's got the seat.
0:22:46 > 0:22:48I've got it, I've got it.
0:22:48 > 0:22:52- Can you saw through that now? - Hold up.
0:22:52 > 0:22:55Oooh! Sorry about that, Matthew. That thud was it.
0:23:00 > 0:23:03While the Fire Brigade work on, paramedic Paul Bradbury can only use
0:23:03 > 0:23:07his sense of humour to keep Matthew's spirits up.
0:23:07 > 0:23:10- Can you feel that? - That's my feet.- Your feet?
0:23:10 > 0:23:13- You should buy some bigger shoes! - I know!
0:23:13 > 0:23:17The Fire Brigade are slowly taking Matthew's van apart.
0:23:17 > 0:23:22The M1 has been blocked for more than an hour, and no-one is going anywhere.
0:23:22 > 0:23:25Sadly, that includes Matthew.
0:23:25 > 0:23:28We've released his left foot.
0:23:28 > 0:23:34We're now just easing the seat back, inch by inch, and his right foot is
0:23:34 > 0:23:37trapped now, so we're just trying to release that.
0:23:37 > 0:23:41Helimed 98 is waiting to take off from the middle lane,
0:23:41 > 0:23:45but until Matthew is free, it's just an expensive roadblock.
0:23:45 > 0:23:48I've repositioned the helicopter onto the carriageway
0:23:48 > 0:23:51so we can load him straightaway, as soon as he's free,
0:23:51 > 0:23:54and we'll whip him off to the Northern General.
0:23:54 > 0:23:57For us to land on the carriageway, the police have had to close the
0:23:57 > 0:24:00other carriageway to stop the oncoming traffic.
0:24:00 > 0:24:06That's purely to stop rubber-neckers causing another crash, and it makes a safer working environment for us.
0:24:10 > 0:24:13The next plan is to use a saw to cut the seats out of the van,
0:24:13 > 0:24:15but that will cause sparks,
0:24:15 > 0:24:19and with so much fuel around, it will be a tense operation.
0:24:26 > 0:24:28Coming up on Helicopter Heroes,
0:24:28 > 0:24:33the length of Matthew's ordeal begins to give paramedic Paul cause for concern.
0:24:33 > 0:24:35Can we come back about another three or four inches?
0:24:37 > 0:24:39And the team drop into a country mansion
0:24:39 > 0:24:43to treat a businessman taken ill in his office.
0:24:43 > 0:24:45We've just landed at the front of the house.
0:24:50 > 0:24:55When it comes to job satisfaction, saving someone's life is about as good at it gets
0:24:55 > 0:24:59but it's not often Helimed 99's crew get to see the results of their work.
0:25:01 > 0:25:03On a golf course next to Air Ambulance HQ,
0:25:03 > 0:25:07golfer Anne Tye has collapsed on the tenth fairway.
0:25:07 > 0:25:10She's having a heart attack and could go into cardiac arrest at any moment.
0:25:11 > 0:25:14Luckily for her, Helimed 99 is only two minutes away,
0:25:14 > 0:25:21and flies her into one of the country's leading cardiac centres, Leeds General Infirmary.
0:25:21 > 0:25:25Anne undergoes numerous scans and tests which reveal all the arteries
0:25:25 > 0:25:31to her heart are blocked, and she needs emergency open heart surgery.
0:25:31 > 0:25:34I was fit and healthy with no problems, I thought, whatsoever,
0:25:34 > 0:25:38and now it turns out I've got these blocked arteries which
0:25:38 > 0:25:40are very, very dangerous.
0:25:40 > 0:25:45It's six weeks since Anne underwent her quadruple bypass operation.
0:25:45 > 0:25:49Back at her golf club, Anne's golfing pals have been busy
0:25:49 > 0:25:54fundraising for the air ambulance and today they're expecting a very special guest.
0:25:54 > 0:25:58Pat Greekin, one of the paramedics that helped rescue Anne, is on his
0:25:58 > 0:26:03way to the course, but there's only one person on his mind and that's Anne.
0:26:03 > 0:26:07She was still in the throes of having a heart attack so she was pale, clammy,
0:26:07 > 0:26:12complaining of pain in her chest, and we managed to stabilise her
0:26:12 > 0:26:16enough on the golf course with the help of the ambulance crews that were on the scene.
0:26:16 > 0:26:19The big question is, though... is Anne here to meet him?
0:26:22 > 0:26:23- Hello, Anne.- Pleased to meet you!
0:26:23 > 0:26:28- Hello!- Nice to see you!- And you! You're looking a lot better than the last time I saw you!
0:26:28 > 0:26:30- I'm feeling much, much better now. - Good, good.
0:26:30 > 0:26:35Anne's eight-hour operation was completely successful,
0:26:35 > 0:26:39and with the help of some veins from her legs and three weeks of complete bed-rest,
0:26:39 > 0:26:43she's home, and slowly returning to full fitness.
0:26:43 > 0:26:47The sooner you get to hospital with chest pains, the better you'll be.
0:26:47 > 0:26:50- I'm looking forward to... back to golf again.- Back to golf, yes.
0:26:50 > 0:26:54Anne might not be able to play golf herself yet,
0:26:54 > 0:26:57but it's now her turn to help Pat.
0:26:57 > 0:27:03You sort of bend your knees and it needs to go out, like that.
0:27:03 > 0:27:07It takes years of practice, and a great deal of patience, to perfect the game of golf.
0:27:07 > 0:27:11Anne is going to try and teach Pat the basics in just five minutes.
0:27:11 > 0:27:13The problem is...
0:27:13 > 0:27:16Pat's never even picked up a golf club!
0:27:16 > 0:27:21Anne doesn't want to go back to hospital again, so stands well back.
0:27:27 > 0:27:31With a little bit of perseverance, and some enthusiastic encouragement,
0:27:31 > 0:27:35Pat starts to improve, but perhaps he shouldn't give up the day job!
0:27:37 > 0:27:39Oh, wonderful! Look at that!
0:27:39 > 0:27:43- So, Anne, how do you think I got on? - Well, not too badly!
0:27:43 > 0:27:45Plenty of room for improvement!
0:27:45 > 0:27:48Oh, yes, yes! It's not an easy thing to do!
0:27:48 > 0:27:50So what does the future hold for you then?
0:27:50 > 0:27:52It's our Golden Wedding anniversary in March...
0:27:52 > 0:27:57- Congratulations!- And the first great-grand-child due in June,
0:27:57 > 0:28:00so I'm very grateful for everything.
0:28:05 > 0:28:07Coming up - Matthew the van driver has been trapped
0:28:07 > 0:28:11for more than an hour, and he's still pinned in his seat.
0:28:11 > 0:28:14If we'd laid him flat, we're just moving the parts to get him back.
0:28:21 > 0:28:26Now if something goes wrong in the air, you can't just call in a breakdown truck.
0:28:26 > 0:28:30Yorkshire's flying paramedics rely on the skill of their pilots and engineers
0:28:30 > 0:28:32to keep their choppers in the air,
0:28:32 > 0:28:36but if there is an emergency, it's often followed by a very large repair bill.
0:28:39 > 0:28:43- Air Ambulance. Bear with me a minute, love.- Tim's just phoned with the update.
0:28:43 > 0:28:45Can you just tell me what's happening?
0:28:45 > 0:28:51It's a busy morning at Air Ambulance Headquarters, and the 999 calls are coming in fast.
0:28:51 > 0:28:54If you had to score the pain in your chest out of ten...
0:28:54 > 0:28:58Paramedic Lee Davison is trying to find out which case needs the one helicopter most.
0:28:58 > 0:29:00You would score it a ten at the moment? OK.
0:29:00 > 0:29:04And it's definitely central, in the middle of your chest?
0:29:04 > 0:29:07He's on the line to a man who sounds like he's having a heart attack.
0:29:07 > 0:29:09I'll give you a ring back in a second.
0:29:09 > 0:29:11I'll discuss it with my colleagues.
0:29:11 > 0:29:13In a lay-by, 20 miles away,
0:29:13 > 0:29:19van driver David Watson is experiencing agonising chest pains.
0:29:19 > 0:29:20It's that bad it's made him pull over.
0:29:20 > 0:29:25He's got no previous cardiac history, and I'm happy to go to that.
0:29:27 > 0:29:30The patient is lucky. Not only is Yorkshire's fastest ambulance
0:29:30 > 0:29:34on its way, it's carrying Dr Ben Wyatt and paramedic Tony Wilks,
0:29:34 > 0:29:37he's a former cardiac nurse.
0:29:38 > 0:29:40The time is the key here.
0:29:40 > 0:29:45We can obviously take him to a specialist unit at Leeds
0:29:45 > 0:29:49if his signs say that he is having a heart attack to us.
0:29:49 > 0:29:54There's a lay-by coming in on your right, Tony,
0:29:54 > 0:29:59and he's in a white Iveco van, and I reckon that that's a white Iveco van
0:29:59 > 0:30:03- in between the blue sided lorry. - Yes, it does.
0:30:03 > 0:30:06He said he was sat at the side, yeah.
0:30:06 > 0:30:09An ordinary ambulance arrives at the same time as Helimed 99.
0:30:09 > 0:30:11OK. They're not moving as yet.
0:30:11 > 0:30:14Oh, he's a big guy, this lad.
0:30:14 > 0:30:18Fast response to heart attacks is a top NHS priority.
0:30:18 > 0:30:22It's less than 15 minutes since the driver called 999.
0:30:22 > 0:30:25So what we'll do is we'll let you sort him out.
0:30:25 > 0:30:28If it turns out to be an MI, we can come straightaway.
0:30:28 > 0:30:31The driver was delivering food to schools when he was taken ill.
0:30:31 > 0:30:35An ECG machine will confirm whether he is indeed having a heart attack.
0:30:38 > 0:30:40What time did it start, David?
0:30:42 > 0:30:4420 minutes, half an hour ago.
0:30:44 > 0:30:46Tony's there with him, and the crew are in there as well,
0:30:46 > 0:30:49so we don't want to get too many people in there,
0:30:49 > 0:30:52so we're just waiting for some information to come out and then
0:30:52 > 0:30:58we'll contact Chris on the Air Desk and see what results we've got, and we'll go from there.
0:30:58 > 0:31:02But this is a false alarm. The paramedics don't mind.
0:31:02 > 0:31:05With something as lethal as a heart attack,
0:31:05 > 0:31:08they know it's better to be safe than sorry.
0:31:08 > 0:31:11You'll be going with the ambulance crew here, all right?
0:31:11 > 0:31:14The land ambulance will take the patient for a check-up,
0:31:14 > 0:31:19but as pilot Matt Niven takes off for the return to base, no-one knows
0:31:19 > 0:31:24the crew of Helimed 99 are about to suffer an emergency that will put a strain on their own tickers.
0:31:26 > 0:31:29Captain to crew, we have CHIPS caption.
0:31:29 > 0:31:30Main transmission CHIPS again.
0:31:30 > 0:31:32And again.
0:31:32 > 0:31:37- Want to get the MRCs out.- Will do. - Check the display.
0:31:37 > 0:31:42- Temperatures and pressures appear normal so far.- OK.
0:31:42 > 0:31:43Increasing speed below 100 knots.
0:31:43 > 0:31:48The warning light means the helicopter's vital gearbox could be cracking up.
0:31:48 > 0:31:51Safety means doing it by the book, and Lee helps Matt check for other
0:31:51 > 0:31:53symptoms that the chopper is in trouble.
0:31:53 > 0:31:57The primary concern at the moment is are we still OK to fly.
0:31:57 > 0:32:01Well, I'm monitoring the temperatures and pressures, and if the temperature
0:32:01 > 0:32:06is increasing rapidly, then that would be indicative of something more sinister happening
0:32:06 > 0:32:10to the gearbox and I would be tempted to put the aircraft down in a field.
0:32:10 > 0:32:13As it is, there's nothing there to make me suspicious,
0:32:13 > 0:32:16so I'm happy to continue back to the airfield.
0:32:16 > 0:32:20There's no sign of major failure, but Matt has to be sure.
0:32:20 > 0:32:23The gearbox takes the drive from both engines
0:32:23 > 0:32:27and combines them to power the head which keeps us airborne.
0:32:27 > 0:32:29If the transmission fails,
0:32:29 > 0:32:32then we'll be going downwards rather rapidly.
0:32:32 > 0:32:36It's time for an emergency landing back at Leeds Bradford Airport.
0:32:37 > 0:32:39You can see how it's slamming about.
0:32:39 > 0:32:41I'll stick it down quickly. It's not...
0:32:44 > 0:32:47..it's not forcing against its normal direction, so...
0:32:47 > 0:32:48There's relief all round.
0:32:49 > 0:32:53OK, to clear your exit now, if you wish.
0:32:53 > 0:32:58When Matt opens the bonnet of Helimed 99's million pound engine, there's bad news.
0:32:59 > 0:33:03We've got little pieces of metal. You can probably just about see,
0:33:03 > 0:33:05I've attached them to a piece of Sellotape there,
0:33:05 > 0:33:11and these have turned out to be part of the bearing components
0:33:11 > 0:33:13inside the gearbox and that's quite critical.
0:33:13 > 0:33:16If the crew had stayed in the air, there's a possibility
0:33:16 > 0:33:20there could have been a catastrophic failure.
0:33:20 > 0:33:24For the charity that runs the Air Ambulance Service, this is a disaster.
0:33:24 > 0:33:26New gearboxes aren't something
0:33:26 > 0:33:28you can just pull off a shelf.
0:33:28 > 0:33:30They have to come directly from the manufacturers.
0:33:30 > 0:33:35Unfortunately, they only manufacture one gearbox per month worldwide,
0:33:35 > 0:33:39so we're having a great deal of difficulty in tracking one down.
0:33:39 > 0:33:46A new gearbox will cost £50,000, even if they can find one.
0:33:46 > 0:33:50When we signed the £3.6 million loans for the aircraft, we obviously built
0:33:50 > 0:33:54in a maintenance reserve, so each month we put money to one side
0:33:54 > 0:33:56in case something does go wrong.
0:33:56 > 0:33:58In this instance with the gearbox, it's £50,000
0:33:58 > 0:34:02and that's a huge chunk of our maintenance reserve in one go.
0:34:02 > 0:34:07For now, £2 million worth of helicopter is going nowhere,
0:34:07 > 0:34:10but a crate arrives from the USA, and in it,
0:34:10 > 0:34:15a £50,000 second-hand, but reconditioned, gearbox.
0:34:15 > 0:34:18Taking a helicopter apart and putting it back together isn't easy,
0:34:18 > 0:34:21but three days later the engineers have done a top job,
0:34:21 > 0:34:26and Helimed 99 is back in action, which is good news for someone.
0:34:27 > 0:34:31At his farmhouse home in the Yorkshire Wolds,
0:34:31 > 0:34:35John Weatherill seems to be having his third heart attack.
0:34:35 > 0:34:38Got to see if our new gearbox works!
0:34:38 > 0:34:42Helimed 99 has just undergone the biggest repair possible.
0:34:42 > 0:34:47Now John's life could depend on the new gearbox doing its job properly.
0:34:50 > 0:34:54If pilot Paul Curtis is nervous, it doesn't show.
0:34:54 > 0:34:58The chopper's £50,000 spare part seems to be working.
0:34:58 > 0:35:00Take-off is good and solid.
0:35:00 > 0:35:03It's everybody's lucky day.
0:35:03 > 0:35:06How's the pain now, John? You're saying it was easing?
0:35:06 > 0:35:11John's feeling a bit better, but with a patient who has already had a triple heart bypass,
0:35:11 > 0:35:16the ground paramedics are glad to see Helimed 99 arriving.
0:35:16 > 0:35:18Check left.
0:35:20 > 0:35:23Just going to leave you slightly closer to the house.
0:35:24 > 0:35:27This gentleman in the garden appears to be waiting for us.
0:35:27 > 0:35:30- What was his 12 lead like? - Just have a look.
0:35:30 > 0:35:33Think there's a bit of elevation on...
0:35:35 > 0:35:39An ECG trace shows that John HAS had another heart attack.
0:35:39 > 0:35:41It's just on the peak there, isn't it?
0:35:41 > 0:35:46This office is where John keeps track of the profits and losses of his booming business.
0:35:46 > 0:35:52Now the only stats that matter are on the print-out tracking the rhythm of his ailing heart.
0:35:53 > 0:35:59The Coronary Care Unit of Leeds General Infirmary is where he stands the best chance of recovery.
0:35:59 > 0:36:01We're just going to take him to the aircraft
0:36:01 > 0:36:06- and we'll find out if Leeds will accept him... if not, we'll be going down to Hull.- OK.
0:36:09 > 0:36:12- Are you pain-free at the moment? - Yes.- OK. Right.
0:36:14 > 0:36:18We need to constantly monitor while we're in the aircraft,
0:36:18 > 0:36:20doing his blood pressure, re-doing a 12 lead ECG
0:36:20 > 0:36:25to see if there is any growing signs that anything else is happening.
0:36:25 > 0:36:31John's heart is not working well, but Helimed 99's new gearbox is performing flawlessly,
0:36:31 > 0:36:36which is just as well, because pilot Paul is about to fly through the tower blocks
0:36:36 > 0:36:37of Leeds city centre.
0:36:38 > 0:36:40There's the university building.
0:36:40 > 0:36:44OK, and landing.
0:36:44 > 0:36:48John is taken straight down to the waiting heart specialists.
0:36:48 > 0:36:54From his office in the Yorkshire Wolds to one of Europe's top cardiac centres, in just 15 minutes.
0:36:57 > 0:37:00A couple of weeks later and John is back at home.
0:37:00 > 0:37:02So he's back out, is he?
0:37:02 > 0:37:07The businessman's heart is now jump-started by a pacemaker,
0:37:07 > 0:37:12and he has nothing but praise and admiration for the helicopter team that sorted him out.
0:37:12 > 0:37:15They were very, very quick. Very, very efficient,
0:37:15 > 0:37:17and I thought at the time that
0:37:19 > 0:37:22I'm really pleased and I felt safe that I was in this helicopter
0:37:22 > 0:37:24and if anything is gonna go wrong,
0:37:24 > 0:37:30I'm in the right place and I'm gonna get there at the best place in the quickest time.
0:37:30 > 0:37:36So both John and the helicopter have had a major overhaul, and thankfully both are now working well.
0:37:42 > 0:37:45Now, let's catch up on that case we brought you earlier.
0:37:45 > 0:37:49There's a ten-mile tail-back on the M1 in South Yorkshire,
0:37:49 > 0:37:53as firemen fight to free the driver of a van crushed in a multiple pile-up.
0:37:58 > 0:38:02Two drivers are already on their way to hospital, but paramedic, Paul Bradbury,
0:38:02 > 0:38:05can't treat his patient until the twisted wreckage of his vehicle
0:38:05 > 0:38:07can be prised apart.
0:38:09 > 0:38:14If you can get this board in at an angle, we could move him up that way.
0:38:14 > 0:38:17Is that from... Where you are, do you think it's possible, or...?
0:38:17 > 0:38:21It's just, as I say, where he is now where his legs are, if we'd have laid him flat
0:38:21 > 0:38:24we could probably have just moved them apart to get him back.
0:38:24 > 0:38:28- Taking him that way...- We can try it now.- I'll give it a whirl.
0:38:28 > 0:38:33Every move is risky. Matthew has been trapped for more than an hour.
0:38:33 > 0:38:38He has a broken leg, but he could also have serious internal injuries.
0:38:38 > 0:38:41All right, guys. Can we come back about another three or four inches?
0:38:41 > 0:38:44The seat's there, so just bear with us, all right.
0:38:44 > 0:38:48- Come back as far as you can then. On Simon's count again. - Ready? 1, 2, 3, move.
0:38:48 > 0:38:51They're trying to lift him free, whilst still sitting in his seat.
0:38:51 > 0:38:55Get a board behind him, mate. 1, 2, 3, move.
0:38:55 > 0:38:58- OK.- Whoa, whoa, whoah! Hold on.
0:38:58 > 0:39:02- His foot!- It's been caught under. - It's all right, I've got it.
0:39:02 > 0:39:04- Lower the board, lower the board. - Slowly.
0:39:04 > 0:39:07It's been a long time and taken the efforts of
0:39:07 > 0:39:1320 firemen and four paramedics, but now, at last, Matthew is free,
0:39:13 > 0:39:16but before the ride to hospital, he must be strapped
0:39:16 > 0:39:19to a rigid board in case his spine was injured by the impact.
0:39:19 > 0:39:23Considering what he's been put through, he's in quite good shape.
0:39:23 > 0:39:26The good thing is he can feel both his feet, he's moving it,
0:39:26 > 0:39:28his stomach isn't distended or what we call "guarding"
0:39:28 > 0:39:32which is really rigid and it's quite soft which, to me, is good news for him.
0:39:32 > 0:39:36Everything at the moment looks OK. His blood pressure is fine.
0:39:36 > 0:39:40He's more or less pain-free, so all being well, he should be all right.
0:39:40 > 0:39:41Very lucky.
0:39:42 > 0:39:48Within five minutes, Matthew will be given the hospital treatment he has waited so long to receive,
0:39:48 > 0:39:52but it looks like being some time before he's back on the M1.
0:39:52 > 0:39:56And he certainly won't be in his old white van!
0:39:56 > 0:39:59Paul has a consoling thought.
0:39:59 > 0:40:02- Look on the bright side, mate, you're still here!- I know.
0:40:04 > 0:40:07Matthew missed out on his house move. He was in hospital.
0:40:07 > 0:40:10But within a few days, he's at home in his new house
0:40:10 > 0:40:13with partner, Karen, and little Katie.
0:40:15 > 0:40:20His leg is in plaster, but considering the impact, he knows he's a lucky man.
0:40:20 > 0:40:23It doesn't happen to you, does it? It's always someone else,
0:40:23 > 0:40:27And as the van was being pushed forward more and more,
0:40:27 > 0:40:30the steering wheel was coming into my belly and I just thought,
0:40:30 > 0:40:32loads of thoughts but the two main ones,
0:40:32 > 0:40:35the first one was like, it's gonna chop me in two any more of this,
0:40:35 > 0:40:40and the other one was like I was just praying that I'd get home to see my girls again.
0:40:40 > 0:40:43I was in the sandwich... the jam in the middle of the sandwich.
0:40:43 > 0:40:45It was a bit of a nightmare.
0:40:45 > 0:40:50I knew I was stuck and I couldn't get out, so I just had to tell myself you're stuck,
0:40:50 > 0:40:51just try and deal with it.
0:40:51 > 0:40:54It took them two hours, I think,
0:40:54 > 0:40:58to get me out. It seemed like about three weeks.
0:40:58 > 0:41:01It will be a while before Matthew drives again,
0:41:01 > 0:41:03and he needs to get his confidence back.
0:41:05 > 0:41:07I've had a lot of flashbacks and what have you
0:41:07 > 0:41:10from the crash. It's not really the crash itself,
0:41:10 > 0:41:12it's what could have happened, you know.
0:41:12 > 0:41:15It puts your life into perspective, like.
0:41:16 > 0:41:19- Can you saw through that now? - Hold up.
0:41:19 > 0:41:24Oh, sorry about that, Matthew. That's the one we said.
0:41:24 > 0:41:28And despite the fact that they tore his van to bits to get him out,
0:41:28 > 0:41:32he has nothing but thanks for the emergency services who came to his aid.
0:41:32 > 0:41:34Paul was there most of the time.
0:41:34 > 0:41:36He was brilliant, funny as well!
0:41:36 > 0:41:41Kept cracking a few gags, even though I was in agony and I wasn't that bothered about him!
0:41:41 > 0:41:45- Can you feel that? - No, that's my feet. - That's your feet?
0:41:45 > 0:41:48- You should buy some bigger shoes! - I know.
0:41:48 > 0:41:51I couldn't believe the teamwork to be honest, it was amazing!
0:41:51 > 0:41:53Just brilliant, it really was!
0:41:53 > 0:41:55What would I have done without them?
0:41:55 > 0:41:59That's all from Helicopter Heroes, but when we come back -
0:41:59 > 0:42:00An injured walker needs help.
0:42:00 > 0:42:02There was an awful crack.
0:42:02 > 0:42:05But the team are struggling to land on a rocky hilltop.
0:42:05 > 0:42:07You've got a big rock here, Steve.
0:42:09 > 0:42:12A deadly menace brings tragedy to the picturesque Yorkshire Dales.
0:42:12 > 0:42:16It's high speed, impact, it's head on. Somebody's not moving in the car.
0:42:18 > 0:42:22What happens when bikers take on gravity... and lose!
0:42:22 > 0:42:24Breathe in, deep breaths, deep breaths.
0:42:27 > 0:42:31And Helimed 99 flies to the rescue of a teenager injured in the snow.
0:42:31 > 0:42:33I was sledging down the hill like an idiot.
0:42:43 > 0:42:45Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:42:45 > 0:42:47E-mail: subtitling@bbc.co.uk