0:00:03 > 0:00:07If you're critically ill or injured in a place like this
0:00:07 > 0:00:12there's only one thing that can save you, and that's speed.
0:00:12 > 0:00:17Wherever you are, this helicopter with a team of pilots and paramedics
0:00:17 > 0:00:21will fly to your rescue at two and a half miles a minute.
0:00:21 > 0:00:22These are Yorkshire's helicopter heroes.
0:00:46 > 0:00:50'When people in Britain's biggest county dial 999,
0:00:50 > 0:00:54'there's a good chance help will come from the skies.
0:00:54 > 0:00:59'The Yorkshire Air Ambulance is ready to scramble 365 days a year,
0:00:59 > 0:01:03'and each brings a new life-or-death emergency.
0:01:03 > 0:01:07'Today, a man severs his hand in an accident,
0:01:07 > 0:01:10'but the Helimed team are determined to save it.'
0:01:10 > 0:01:14Hopefully, they can stitch it back on.
0:01:14 > 0:01:18'A race against the sun as an injured rider is flown to hospital.'
0:01:18 > 0:01:21Ten to 15 minutes, maximum.
0:01:21 > 0:01:25'The chopper rescues an ambulance bogged down on a rugby pitch.'
0:01:25 > 0:01:28We're going to push the ambulance off the field!
0:01:28 > 0:01:32'There's a touchdown on the motorway after a pile-up
0:01:32 > 0:01:35'brings gridlock to the M6.'
0:01:39 > 0:01:44Almost everything in the emergency services is tied to the clock.
0:01:44 > 0:01:46People need help in minutes.
0:01:46 > 0:01:51That's why we have blue lights, sirens and 150mph helicopters.
0:01:51 > 0:01:55But sometimes, time is especially critical.
0:01:55 > 0:02:00'Emergencies don't come more acute than this one.'
0:02:00 > 0:02:02I'm going to ring you back.
0:02:02 > 0:02:05'A carpenter has dialled 999,
0:02:05 > 0:02:08'claiming to have sawn off his hand.'
0:02:08 > 0:02:11They're getting suited and booted at the moment.
0:02:11 > 0:02:15'Helimed 99 is heading north at top speed.
0:02:15 > 0:02:18'When a limb is amputated cleanly,
0:02:18 > 0:02:22'there's a good chance microsurgery can stitch it back on.
0:02:22 > 0:02:25'But it has to be done quickly.'
0:02:25 > 0:02:29- Is it a work or home address? - Home address.
0:02:29 > 0:02:34'With the patient at his home 25 miles from the nearest hospital,
0:02:34 > 0:02:38'the helicopter ride is the only chance of saving his hand.'
0:02:38 > 0:02:43It's where it's been cut off, how cleanly it's been cut off.
0:02:43 > 0:02:47We don't want to take him somewhere they can't do the surgery.
0:02:47 > 0:02:51We'll make that decision when we get on scene.
0:02:51 > 0:02:55'The paramedics Paul and Pete know the odds are stacked against him.'
0:02:55 > 0:03:01- Try Harrogate. - See what the injuries are first. - Apparently, it's clean off!
0:03:01 > 0:03:06'Accidents with power tools are common and potentially lethal.
0:03:06 > 0:03:08'The clock is against them.
0:03:08 > 0:03:14'Helimed 99's landing site is tight but this case is urgent.'
0:03:14 > 0:03:16Yeah, you're fine there, Steve.
0:03:17 > 0:03:21'There's a familiar face to meet them.
0:03:21 > 0:03:27'Dave Gardner works for the Helimed team, but was first on the scene as a ground medic.'
0:03:27 > 0:03:32He's not sure what's fully happened. It's off there completely.
0:03:32 > 0:03:36That's in there. He thinks he's just injured his hand.
0:03:36 > 0:03:40'Malcolm Pipes is a professional carpenter
0:03:40 > 0:03:44'and has been making furniture for over 40 years.
0:03:44 > 0:03:48'He's in deep shock, and so is the neighbour who first found him.'
0:03:48 > 0:03:53He's a cabinet maker. Came running across saying he cut his hand.
0:03:53 > 0:03:55Cut it right off!
0:03:57 > 0:04:02'Malcolm was using this saw in his workshop when the accident happened.
0:04:02 > 0:04:04'The results were devastating.'
0:04:04 > 0:04:07- Malcolm, how do you feel? - All right.
0:04:07 > 0:04:12We're just going to stick a little needle into your arm.
0:04:12 > 0:04:16- Are you in any pain? - I've got pins and needles.
0:04:16 > 0:04:19In your...? In this arm, yeah?
0:04:19 > 0:04:22'Malcolm's left hand is in cold storage.'
0:04:22 > 0:04:25We've got frozen peas round it.
0:04:25 > 0:04:28Hopefully, that'll preserve the hand.
0:04:28 > 0:04:31He's going to LGI. Hopefully, they can stitch it on.
0:04:31 > 0:04:36'Malcolm's wife and daughter did the right thing when it happened.
0:04:36 > 0:04:39'They sat him down and dressed his wrist.
0:04:39 > 0:04:42'They could have saved his life.'
0:04:42 > 0:04:47What we're going to do, Malcolm, is take you to Leeds General Infirmary.
0:04:47 > 0:04:51- That's a long way.- Not for us. It only takes ten minutes.
0:04:51 > 0:04:55The reason we're taking you there is, what you've done,
0:04:55 > 0:05:00they're the best place to try and sort it out for you.
0:05:00 > 0:05:05'Malcolm's so shocked, he can't feel anything. That may not last.
0:05:05 > 0:05:08'He's given morphine to tide him over
0:05:08 > 0:05:12'until hospital doctors anaesthetise him for surgery.'
0:05:12 > 0:05:15We're going to put a sling on your arm.
0:05:15 > 0:05:19- Can you put your hand up there? Is that all right?- Yeah.
0:05:19 > 0:05:22Slide that underneath.
0:05:22 > 0:05:26'Malcolm could have bled to death, but he's safe now.'
0:05:26 > 0:05:29Can you ease forward a touch? That's it.
0:05:29 > 0:05:32Give me your hand so I can help you up.
0:05:32 > 0:05:36- There you go, Malcolm. - Take a seat, sir.
0:05:36 > 0:05:38'25 miles away in Leeds,
0:05:38 > 0:05:42'surgeons are preparing to graft Malcolm's hand back on.'
0:05:42 > 0:05:46Keep your arms in. We're going to wrap you in a blanket.
0:05:46 > 0:05:50'It's going to be a complicated procedure,
0:05:50 > 0:05:55'and one that surgeons in Leeds have never attempted before.
0:05:59 > 0:06:04'Coming up, the race to get Malcolm and his hand to surgery begins.'
0:06:04 > 0:06:08It needs to be back on as quick as possible.
0:06:08 > 0:06:12'Paramedic Lee gets his partner out of a sticky situation.'
0:06:12 > 0:06:15I'm going to be at home on me own, Valentine's night.
0:06:15 > 0:06:17He taught me how to drive.
0:06:17 > 0:06:22'And a man is knocked down on the trans-Pennine motorway.'
0:06:27 > 0:06:32If you fly one of these, you have a thorough medical every six months.
0:06:32 > 0:06:36Fail, and you're grounded. But rules don't stop with your health.
0:06:36 > 0:06:42There are strict regulations as to when pilots must stop work, which can be a problem.
0:06:44 > 0:06:46'It's a sunny Saturday afternoon.
0:06:46 > 0:06:50'Helimed 98 is leaving the urban sprawl of Leeds
0:06:50 > 0:06:54'and heading for the west Yorkshire countryside.'
0:06:54 > 0:06:58We've been tasked to a male who's been thrown off a horse.
0:06:58 > 0:07:02He's complaining of pain to one of his thighs.
0:07:02 > 0:07:04He may have broken his femur.
0:07:04 > 0:07:09'The sun is already low in the sky. This is the last job of the day.'
0:07:09 > 0:07:15He's down a dirt track away from the equestrian centre we're tasked to.
0:07:15 > 0:07:19It's a matter of finding him before we start to treat him.
0:07:19 > 0:07:24There's the mast, which is some sort of water carrier.
0:07:24 > 0:07:28'As they fly over, it's all eyes out for the injured rider.'
0:07:28 > 0:07:32- Did they describe it as in a ditch? - No. On a track.
0:07:32 > 0:07:36That white thing down there. Is that a horse?
0:07:36 > 0:07:40Helimed 98 to Leeds air desk, we've now found the scene.
0:07:40 > 0:07:44Hold his head for me. This is Phillip. He's fallen...
0:07:44 > 0:07:48'Six foot four Phil Thomason came off his 16-hand horse.
0:07:48 > 0:07:51'That's a long drop.'
0:07:51 > 0:07:55Phillip, we're going to give you something for that pain, OK...?
0:07:55 > 0:08:02'The biggest bone in his body is broken and he's miles from anywhere.
0:08:02 > 0:08:05'He was out riding with Shelley Catch.'
0:08:05 > 0:08:09There was a twig and the horse jumped sideways.
0:08:09 > 0:08:14He sort came off to the side but the horse is so big.
0:08:14 > 0:08:19Then he's gone up in the air and he's come down on his side,
0:08:19 > 0:08:23hip first, then his shoulder and onto his front.
0:08:23 > 0:08:28'The traction splint looks menacing but it's the best tool for the job.'
0:08:29 > 0:08:32It makes it feel much more comfortable
0:08:32 > 0:08:35and stops swelling within the thigh
0:08:35 > 0:08:37because it's in a nice straight line
0:08:37 > 0:08:41and stops the bones from overlapping one another.
0:08:41 > 0:08:45'Pilot Tim has other things on his mind.
0:08:45 > 0:08:50'The light he needs to fly is disappearing fast.'
0:08:50 > 0:08:52We've got an hour to play with.
0:08:52 > 0:08:57It's going to be five, ten minutes to Pinderfields.
0:08:57 > 0:09:03A ten-minute flight to Sheffield. That's 20 minutes of our hour gone.
0:09:03 > 0:09:06'The paramedics need to get moving.'
0:09:06 > 0:09:10We're going to have to put a traction splint onto your right leg.
0:09:10 > 0:09:12'Phil gets measured up.'
0:09:12 > 0:09:14MOANS
0:09:14 > 0:09:16It's not coming off.
0:09:16 > 0:09:21'First, he must say goodbye to his made-to-measure £200 riding boots.'
0:09:21 > 0:09:23MOANS
0:09:23 > 0:09:25They're brand new.
0:09:25 > 0:09:29You're just going to feel it coming off your heel.
0:09:29 > 0:09:32'He's already in agony,
0:09:32 > 0:09:36'and then Pat tightens the splint to realign the broken bones.
0:09:39 > 0:09:41'Tim is worried about the time.
0:09:41 > 0:09:46'The rules about flying helicopters at night are strict.'
0:09:46 > 0:09:51Yeah, it's taken us right up to our last light limit today.
0:09:51 > 0:09:54How's the pain, Phil?
0:09:54 > 0:09:57'Time for some more pilot maths.'
0:09:57 > 0:10:01Ten to 15 minutes maximum to load and hand over.
0:10:01 > 0:10:05It's going to have to be Pinderfields.
0:10:05 > 0:10:10'Phil has to be taken to his nearest hospital, Pinderfields in Wakefield,
0:10:10 > 0:10:13'in the opposite direction to Sheffield,
0:10:13 > 0:10:16'where the helicopter needs to end up.'
0:10:18 > 0:10:23Helimed 98, can we confirm that there is a land crew at Wakefield?
0:10:23 > 0:10:26Due to lack of daylight hours,
0:10:26 > 0:10:30it's imperative, otherwise we'll take the patient to Sheffield.
0:10:30 > 0:10:36'With the light failing fast, the crew have difficult decisions to make.
0:10:40 > 0:10:45'Coming up, the crew fear a night in A&E, as an ambulance goes missing.'
0:10:45 > 0:10:50We've reached 1635 and there's no sign of a land crew.
0:10:50 > 0:10:56'A man who severed his hand reaches hospital. Can surgeons save it?
0:10:56 > 0:11:01'And Helimed 99 prepares for take-off from the M62.'
0:11:06 > 0:11:10When you're a paramedic, it's not all hard work.
0:11:10 > 0:11:14Occasionally, love blossoms among the stretchers and sirens.
0:11:14 > 0:11:17Husband and wife teams aren't unusual,
0:11:17 > 0:11:23and sometimes partners bump into each other in unexpected places.
0:11:24 > 0:11:28'It's Valentine's Day and love is in the air over north Yorkshire.
0:11:28 > 0:11:30'So is Helimed 99.
0:11:30 > 0:11:36'Its crew, Lee Davison and Tony Wilkes, have been on four emergency jobs today.
0:11:36 > 0:11:40'They think they're about to go home to their loved ones.
0:11:40 > 0:11:44'The air desk dispatcher is about to play gooseberry.'
0:11:44 > 0:11:49- ON RADIO:- 'The land crew might have got their vehicle stuck. Over.'
0:11:49 > 0:11:51Roger.
0:11:51 > 0:11:57'The ambulance is stuck in the middle of a rugby field, miles from the road.
0:11:57 > 0:12:02'Inside, 18-year-old rugby player Patrick Frith with a broken leg
0:12:02 > 0:12:05'and some very unsympathetic teammates.'
0:12:05 > 0:12:10I'm not touching that! Who's got the verruca then?
0:12:10 > 0:12:14< His boot stuck in the mud. His body went one way.
0:12:14 > 0:12:19Leg went the other way. That was it. Big crack, big time.
0:12:19 > 0:12:22'The crew's flying in to help their colleagues.
0:12:22 > 0:12:29'Lee Davison hasn't realised that the ambulance is being driven by his partner Paula.
0:12:29 > 0:12:34'Looking at him, you wouldn't think he was the romantic sort,
0:12:34 > 0:12:38'but Lee has been planning a Valentine's dinner for Paula.
0:12:38 > 0:12:43'Thanks to this, his plans have all gone wrong.'
0:12:43 > 0:12:48My girlfriend on Valentine's Day, who I'll have to cook for.
0:12:48 > 0:12:54She's in a field and I'll be at home eating my Valentine's tea on me own.
0:12:54 > 0:12:58- What time will you be home for tea, Paula?- Maybe never!
0:12:58 > 0:13:01But it'd better be ready when I get in!
0:13:01 > 0:13:05'Paula and her colleague Chris in the ambulance
0:13:05 > 0:13:09'did the work on Patrick before Helimed 99 arrived.
0:13:09 > 0:13:12'His leg is splinted. He's got pain relief.
0:13:12 > 0:13:16'It's time for his teammates to help him to hospital.'
0:13:16 > 0:13:21First it was his knee dislocated. I couldn't touch it.
0:13:21 > 0:13:23It was hurting so much.
0:13:23 > 0:13:28< Looks like he's fractured his femur, the long bone in his leg.
0:13:28 > 0:13:30< It's quite painful
0:13:30 > 0:13:35with potential for quite a bit of blood loss into surrounding tissue.
0:13:35 > 0:13:38We'll give him oxygen then get him to hospital.
0:13:38 > 0:13:41'There's just enough time
0:13:41 > 0:13:44'for Lee and Paula to sort out their love life.'
0:13:44 > 0:13:48This is her who got it stuck. Eh?
0:13:48 > 0:13:52I'm going to be having me tea on me own, Valentine's night.
0:13:52 > 0:13:56- He taught me how to drive. - LAUGHTER
0:13:56 > 0:14:02'As the helicopter lifts, the scrum put their not inconsiderable weight to use...'
0:14:02 > 0:14:07Going to push the ambulance off the field! Scrum practice!
0:14:07 > 0:14:10'..freeing Paula's ambulance from its mud trap.
0:14:12 > 0:14:14'Just a few weeks later,
0:14:14 > 0:14:18'the Harrogate Pythons are back in the thick of the action.
0:14:18 > 0:14:23'A cold Wednesday evening workout keeps them on their toes.
0:14:23 > 0:14:27'Well, nearly all of them. Patrick's season has come to an end.
0:14:27 > 0:14:31'His leg was put back together with Meccano-like plates and rods.
0:14:31 > 0:14:36'He'll have to get used to watching his teammates for a few months.'
0:14:36 > 0:14:39I remember getting the ball,
0:14:39 > 0:14:43did a sidestep and heard a massive crunch.
0:14:43 > 0:14:46It's the first injury I've had
0:14:46 > 0:14:48where I've had to be taken off.
0:14:48 > 0:14:52It was just a freak accident. Well, I hope it was!
0:14:52 > 0:14:56'Patrick's best mate has an unusual nickname.'
0:14:56 > 0:14:59Fortress. That's me.
0:14:59 > 0:15:02I'm a prop. I do all the heavy work.
0:15:02 > 0:15:06'He knew what happened straightaway.'
0:15:06 > 0:15:10He was running and I heard a pop, like feet banging together.
0:15:10 > 0:15:14Next we know, he's on the floor in pain.
0:15:14 > 0:15:18- Manly, though. - Manly pain. Sorry, manly pain.
0:15:18 > 0:15:22'Paula was the first to Patrick's aid,
0:15:22 > 0:15:25'but she was having a day to forget.'
0:15:25 > 0:15:28They first went to the wrong rugby club.
0:15:28 > 0:15:35When they tried to get on the pitch, they had to get pushed by some of the players onto the field.
0:15:35 > 0:15:38I was pleased when they finally arrived,
0:15:38 > 0:15:43'but it was quite worrying when they couldn't get onto the pitch.
0:15:43 > 0:15:49'40 minutes I was on the ground, and you do begin to panic.
0:15:49 > 0:15:53'As soon as they turn up, you feel pretty safe.'
0:15:53 > 0:15:57They came to see me in hospital, and that's really nice.
0:15:57 > 0:16:01They definitely care, you know what I mean? It's more than a job.
0:16:06 > 0:16:10'Coming up, there's a late finish for pilot Tim
0:16:10 > 0:16:13'and a fatal accident on the M6.
0:16:13 > 0:16:17'The team's called to save the driver who caused it.'
0:16:21 > 0:16:26Let's catch up on the case of the craftsman who cut off his hand
0:16:26 > 0:16:29in a terrible accident with an electric saw.
0:16:29 > 0:16:33'Helimed 99 are in a sleepy village in North Yorkshire,
0:16:33 > 0:16:37'where a carpenter's latest project has gone badly wrong.'
0:16:37 > 0:16:43It's off completely from there. He thinks he just injured his hand.
0:16:43 > 0:16:46'Malcolm Pipe's sawn his hand off with a bench saw.
0:16:46 > 0:16:52'It's a life-threatening injury, but thanks to his family, he will survive.
0:16:52 > 0:16:56'It's up to paramedics Pete Vallance and Paul Bradbury
0:16:56 > 0:17:00'to get him to the plastic surgeons at the Leeds General Infirmary
0:17:00 > 0:17:02'to sew the severed limb back on.'
0:17:02 > 0:17:07Malcolm, we're going to lift you. One, two, three.
0:17:07 > 0:17:09There we go. Easy as that.
0:17:09 > 0:17:11And down again.
0:17:11 > 0:17:17'Malcolm doesn't understand the gravity of what's happened.
0:17:17 > 0:17:21'His way of coping with the ordeal is to keep talking.
0:17:21 > 0:17:23'Lucky paramedics Pete and Paul
0:17:23 > 0:17:26'enjoy a bit of friendly banter.'
0:17:26 > 0:17:28You're quicker than he were...!
0:17:28 > 0:17:34'Malcolm's discovered he's got a lot in common with Leeds Utd fan Pete.'
0:17:34 > 0:17:38MUFFLED CHATTING
0:17:42 > 0:17:48'Malcolm's hand has been kept cool with frozen peas and carrots.'
0:17:48 > 0:17:52It needs to be back on as quick as possible,
0:17:52 > 0:17:55if it's saveable - hopefully, it will be.
0:17:55 > 0:17:59- MALCOLM: Do you want me to drive? - You could!
0:17:59 > 0:18:04'With their unusually jovial patient safely secured in the back,
0:18:04 > 0:18:09'pilot Steve wastes no time setting off to the Leeds General Infirmary.'
0:18:09 > 0:18:12Helimed 99 Alpha.
0:18:12 > 0:18:17Coming from Thursk, en route to the LGI shortly.
0:18:17 > 0:18:22We'll supply information as we get to the LGI.
0:18:22 > 0:18:27'It's not the closest hospital, but with a team of top plastic surgeons,
0:18:27 > 0:18:32'it gives Malcolm the best chance of having his hand reattached.'
0:18:32 > 0:18:37'He was talking to Paul in the back, knew what was going on around him.
0:18:37 > 0:18:40'With the exception of his injury,
0:18:40 > 0:18:43'which might be his way of coping -
0:18:43 > 0:18:46'to be talkative and take his mind off it.'
0:18:46 > 0:18:49That's something we normally do.
0:18:49 > 0:18:53Malcolm didn't need any help with that at all today.
0:18:53 > 0:18:58I'll tell you before he comes in he's unaware that his hand is off.
0:18:58 > 0:19:01- He thinks he's damaged his fingers. - All right.
0:19:01 > 0:19:07'Resus is the first stop for any patient brought in by the team.
0:19:07 > 0:19:10'While doctors assess Malcolm's condition in one cubicle,
0:19:10 > 0:19:16'next door, the plastic surgeons get a glimpse of his severed hand.'
0:19:16 > 0:19:20We had a look at the hand straight out of the packaging.
0:19:20 > 0:19:23He took it off from that angle.
0:19:23 > 0:19:25It is quite a clean cut.
0:19:25 > 0:19:29The doctors are optimistic they will be able to reattach it.
0:19:29 > 0:19:34Just looking at the body part to see if it's feasible to reattach it.
0:19:34 > 0:19:37It's looking quite promising.
0:19:37 > 0:19:39'This is a highly unusual case.
0:19:39 > 0:19:45'None of these doctors have seen anything like this before.
0:19:45 > 0:19:48'It's not just the injuries concerning them.
0:19:48 > 0:19:53'Malcolm still doesn't realise his whole hand has been amputated.
0:19:53 > 0:19:57'The team must find a way to tell him
0:19:57 > 0:20:00'without causing too much distress.'
0:20:00 > 0:20:04They're doing an X-ray to see what bone injuries he's got,
0:20:04 > 0:20:07if it's feasible to reattach the hand.
0:20:07 > 0:20:10'Malcolm's a well-known furniture maker.
0:20:10 > 0:20:13'His life revolves around using his hands.
0:20:13 > 0:20:19'If surgery's not successful, he may have to live with only one hand.'
0:20:19 > 0:20:23'Malcolm looks to be the sort of guy who likes to be doing things.'
0:20:23 > 0:20:25As we were going out,
0:20:25 > 0:20:31he was organising the guys doing his extension, so they got on with the work.
0:20:31 > 0:20:36'So he's got, perhaps, the right sort of personality
0:20:36 > 0:20:41'and determination to recover from something like this.'
0:20:45 > 0:20:49'Coming up, the surgeon who thinks he can give Malcolm his hand back.'
0:20:50 > 0:20:55It's not a procedure that a lot of plastic surgeons will have done.
0:20:55 > 0:21:00'And a man's hit by a lorry on the hard shoulder - and lives.'
0:21:05 > 0:21:12It's a fact that riding a horse is one of the best ways of getting a flight in an air ambulance.
0:21:12 > 0:21:16Falls are common and injuries often serious.
0:21:16 > 0:21:18GROANS
0:21:18 > 0:21:21'Late in the day, Phil Thomason has come off his horse
0:21:21 > 0:21:24'and has a badly broken leg.'
0:21:24 > 0:21:25Well done!
0:21:25 > 0:21:29'He's now flying in circles 1,000 feet over the hospital,
0:21:29 > 0:21:34'where doctors are waiting to treat him - but there's a problem.'
0:21:34 > 0:21:38If we land, wait five minutes and an ambulance doesn't come,
0:21:38 > 0:21:40we have to go to Sheffield.
0:21:40 > 0:21:48'There's no sign of the ambulance to take Phil from the helipad at Pinderfields hospital into A&E.'
0:21:48 > 0:21:53- We'll stay airborne until that five minutes is up.- All right.
0:21:53 > 0:21:59'By law, Tim and his helicopter must be on the ground in half an hour.
0:21:59 > 0:22:01'The sun has already set.'
0:22:01 > 0:22:03There's no sign of any vehicle.
0:22:03 > 0:22:07Every orbit we do, there's more street lights coming on.
0:22:07 > 0:22:13'Before they give up, Sammy makes a final call to find out what's happened.'
0:22:13 > 0:22:19We've reached 1635. There is no sign of a land crew.
0:22:19 > 0:22:23We're going to have to go to Northern General with this patient.
0:22:23 > 0:22:28- ON RADIO: 'The ambulance is one minute away.'- Is that it?
0:22:28 > 0:22:31'They'll only be a minute. Over.'
0:22:31 > 0:22:33Vehicle pulling into the ground now.
0:22:33 > 0:22:36'In the nick of time, the ambulance arrives.
0:22:36 > 0:22:40'Tim has built in a five-minute safety window,
0:22:40 > 0:22:45'but it's looking like he'll have to leave without Pat.
0:22:45 > 0:22:49'He needs to speak to the hospital medical team.'
0:22:49 > 0:22:52It's a 20-minute transit time to Sheffield.
0:22:52 > 0:22:55We've got five minutes to hand the patient over
0:22:55 > 0:22:59or Pat will have to travel in with the patient.
0:22:59 > 0:23:02'Phil is in the right place. Pat isn't.
0:23:02 > 0:23:06'Helimed 98 has to leave him behind with no transport.
0:23:06 > 0:23:11'The "sympathetic" helicopter air desk are on the case.'
0:23:11 > 0:23:14'I'm trying to arrange a lift for Pat.
0:23:14 > 0:23:19'I'll give him directions to the train station.'
0:23:19 > 0:23:22That looks nice lit up at night.
0:23:25 > 0:23:31'As daylight disappears, the crew has one more trick up their sleeve.'
0:23:31 > 0:23:35Could you contact South Yorkshire Police and request the frequency
0:23:35 > 0:23:40for the lights to be illuminated at Sheffield airport?
0:23:40 > 0:23:44Whoever designed that is really clever.
0:23:45 > 0:23:47'With the runway in sight,
0:23:47 > 0:23:49'Tim activates the lights.'
0:23:53 > 0:23:58- Oh, we got the patient to hospital. - Yeah.
0:23:58 > 0:24:00'It's been a long day.
0:24:06 > 0:24:09'A couple of weeks later,
0:24:09 > 0:24:13'Phil and his instructor Shelley are back with the horses.
0:24:13 > 0:24:17'Phil's not going riding any time soon.
0:24:17 > 0:24:20'His leg is held together by bits of metal.'
0:24:20 > 0:24:23As soon as you hear the sirens,
0:24:23 > 0:24:27it's such a relief to know that help's on its way.
0:24:27 > 0:24:30Then, when the helicopter arrived,
0:24:30 > 0:24:34the paramedics, seven or eight of them,
0:24:34 > 0:24:37and the time spent getting me comfortable.
0:24:37 > 0:24:41It was fantastic, the care that you receive.
0:24:41 > 0:24:43'Phil's tutor Shelley
0:24:43 > 0:24:47'is not only an experienced rider, she's an Air Ambulance veteran.
0:24:47 > 0:24:52'She was picked up by the Helimed crew after a fall last year.'
0:24:52 > 0:24:57- You've no pain in your neck or back? Just your face?- And my ribs.
0:24:57 > 0:25:00'I managed to go down head-first.
0:25:00 > 0:25:06I did my jaw there and my nose but I managed to get out the same night.
0:25:06 > 0:25:09Same night? LAUGHS
0:25:09 > 0:25:14- Unlike Phillip.- Yeah. 12 days I was in Pinderfields for.
0:25:14 > 0:25:20'Shelley's Air Ambulance experience helped her look after Phil.'
0:25:20 > 0:25:25'She said, "I think you've broken your leg." She was so cool.
0:25:25 > 0:25:28'Just phoned the ambulance.'
0:25:28 > 0:25:31In ten minutes, there was a response car.
0:25:31 > 0:25:34'Not only that, she knew the crew.'
0:25:34 > 0:25:39They said, "I know you." I said, "You air-lifted me from Byron Park."
0:25:39 > 0:25:43The other guy walked over and went, "Hello, Shelley!"
0:25:43 > 0:25:46I was like, "First name, not good!"
0:25:50 > 0:25:55'Coming up, a man is reunited with a hand he lost in an accident.'
0:26:01 > 0:26:06When you join the police, you're taught to respect motorways.
0:26:06 > 0:26:09The Helimed team are often the first to witness
0:26:09 > 0:26:12how dangerous our motorways can be.
0:26:12 > 0:26:17'The Helimed team know a 999 call from one of Yorkshire's motorways
0:26:17 > 0:26:19'is often serious.
0:26:19 > 0:26:21'On the M180,
0:26:21 > 0:26:26'a pile-up involving lorries, vans and cars has multiple casualties.'
0:26:26 > 0:26:31Helimed 99, would you receive four casualties, one fatal?
0:26:31 > 0:26:33ETA's about six minutes. Over.
0:26:33 > 0:26:38There is one report of a patient in cardiac arrest.
0:26:38 > 0:26:42We're just waiting for an update from the crews.
0:26:42 > 0:26:46They'll give us an update of what's going on.
0:26:46 > 0:26:49'The driver of a van has been killed
0:26:49 > 0:26:53'and emergency services are struggling to free injured motorists
0:26:53 > 0:26:55'from their vehicles.'
0:26:55 > 0:27:01Sounds quite bad. For fatalities on RTAs, it's quite high impact,
0:27:01 > 0:27:05the way cars are built to withstand this sort of impact.
0:27:05 > 0:27:08It looks like they've closed the carriageway.
0:27:08 > 0:27:11We need confirmation before we can land.
0:27:11 > 0:27:16'Tim likes landing on motorways, despite the barriers and stanchions.
0:27:16 > 0:27:20'The flat tarmac makes a perfect makeshift helipad.
0:27:20 > 0:27:22'Thanks to the police,
0:27:22 > 0:27:28'both carriageways are closed, so Tim can make a swift landing.'
0:27:28 > 0:27:31On the carriageway now.
0:27:32 > 0:27:36'Helimed 99 has just arrived in time.'
0:27:36 > 0:27:39We'll bring our spinal board.
0:27:40 > 0:27:43'Crews have released the lorry driver.
0:27:43 > 0:27:48'But, with nearly 100 tons of metal colliding at motorway speeds,
0:27:48 > 0:27:51'everyone's worried.'
0:27:51 > 0:27:53He's got facial injuries
0:27:53 > 0:27:57where the van's gone through the windscreen of the HGV.
0:27:57 > 0:28:03He's complaining of pain in his chest but it's just his face that is the concern.
0:28:03 > 0:28:06'Unsurprisingly,
0:28:06 > 0:28:10'people who clock up thousands of miles a year driving for a living
0:28:10 > 0:28:14'are more likely to be involved in accidents.
0:28:14 > 0:28:17'Last year, over 7,000 professional drivers
0:28:17 > 0:28:19'were killed or seriously injured.
0:28:19 > 0:28:23'If you've ever been stuck in a jam like this,
0:28:23 > 0:28:27'you'll know how these unfortunate motorists feel.
0:28:27 > 0:28:30'It could be hours before this stretch reopens.
0:28:30 > 0:28:34'They're unwittingly hampering the Helimed team.'
0:28:34 > 0:28:38I'm trying to phone the air desk on the mobile
0:28:38 > 0:28:42to arrange Northern General so they're standing by,
0:28:42 > 0:28:44but we've got "network busy".
0:28:44 > 0:28:50Which is a couple of thousand cars either side of us phoning work
0:28:50 > 0:28:52to say they're going to be late.
0:28:52 > 0:28:56'The impact in a smash like this is immense.
0:28:56 > 0:29:01'Amazingly, the driver of this car had only minor injuries.'
0:29:01 > 0:29:03Take off.
0:29:03 > 0:29:06'The driver faces plastic surgery in Sheffield.
0:29:06 > 0:29:10'These injuries may have been preventable.
0:29:10 > 0:29:15'Few lorries have air bags and some drivers don't wear seatbelts.
0:29:15 > 0:29:18'Weeks, if not months, of treatment lie ahead.
0:29:18 > 0:29:22'It's probably the last thing on the driver's mind,
0:29:22 > 0:29:26'but he's likely to face a police investigation into the crash.'
0:29:26 > 0:29:28One, two, three, lift.
0:29:28 > 0:29:32'His collision with the van suggests that,
0:29:32 > 0:29:39'like nine out of ten motorway accidents, this tragedy was caused by driver error.'
0:29:39 > 0:29:42The steering wheel was resting on his chest.
0:29:42 > 0:29:46The engine bay had come into the cab as well.
0:29:46 > 0:29:48Luckily, it wasn't pinning his legs.
0:29:48 > 0:29:51At any greater speed,
0:29:51 > 0:29:54you're looking at a lot more serious injuries.
0:29:54 > 0:29:58He's got a lot of hard work from plastic surgeons.
0:29:58 > 0:30:03Looking at the injuries, he's going to have a long time in hospital.
0:30:03 > 0:30:07Speed is the biggest killer on our roads.
0:30:07 > 0:30:12On a motorway, you don't even have to be moving to be in danger.
0:30:12 > 0:30:17'Around 1,500 people a year are killed or seriously injured
0:30:17 > 0:30:19'while on the hard shoulder.
0:30:21 > 0:30:26'Helimed 99 is hovering above one of the busiest stretches in Europe,
0:30:26 > 0:30:29'where the A1 meets the M62.
0:30:29 > 0:30:33'An accident here causes havoc, and this is a bad one.
0:30:33 > 0:30:38'A man changing a tyre on the hard shoulder has been hit by a HGV.'
0:30:38 > 0:30:42He's been on the inside, changing a tyre.
0:30:42 > 0:30:46'This urban motorway is crisscrossed by powerlines,
0:30:46 > 0:30:50'where Yorkshire's power stations feed into the national grid.
0:30:50 > 0:30:54'Pilot John Slater has thousands of hours of flying time,
0:30:54 > 0:31:00'but landing here is not for the fainthearted.'
0:31:00 > 0:31:03Got wires down the righthand side.
0:31:03 > 0:31:07- All looks good. - You are good to go.
0:31:07 > 0:31:11He's been struck from behind by an HGV, changing a wheel.
0:31:11 > 0:31:17The van's gone sideways onto him and pushed him over with some force.
0:31:17 > 0:31:19'This is a "swoop and go".
0:31:19 > 0:31:23'The best place for Joel is a trauma centre.
0:31:23 > 0:31:27'The crew stabilise him, get him onto a spinal board
0:31:27 > 0:31:32'and on his way to the helicopter parked up on the hard shoulder.'
0:31:34 > 0:31:36Beautiful!
0:31:36 > 0:31:39The main concern is his abdomen.
0:31:39 > 0:31:43He's got a probable puncture to his abdomen and he's quite sore.
0:31:43 > 0:31:46We think it's internal bleeding, maybe.
0:31:46 > 0:31:51So, get him on the vehicle, get some lines up,
0:31:51 > 0:31:56give him fluids if he needs them and give him a proper assessment.
0:31:56 > 0:31:58Toes are clear.
0:31:59 > 0:32:01Perfect.
0:32:01 > 0:32:05'It's evening and the sun is low, dazzling the crew.
0:32:05 > 0:32:10'It could have been a factor but the investigation team decides that.'
0:32:10 > 0:32:13I'm going to stop this carriageway and the other.
0:32:13 > 0:32:17That allows the Air Ambulance to take off.
0:32:17 > 0:32:21'The accident happened down the road from the hospital.
0:32:21 > 0:32:26'As gridlock builds on the M62, by road, it could be the next county!'
0:32:26 > 0:32:29It would be bad enough being inside the vehicle.
0:32:29 > 0:32:34But to be hit by a vehicle at speed stood at the side of the road...
0:32:34 > 0:32:39He's a lucky chap. I can't believe he's here, to be honest.
0:32:39 > 0:32:44'Lucky Joel was home after just a few days in hospital.'
0:32:44 > 0:32:46Here's some advice.
0:32:46 > 0:32:51If you break down on the motorway, pull onto the hard shoulder,
0:32:51 > 0:32:55put your hazard warning lights on, leave the vehicle
0:32:55 > 0:32:59but, most importantly, keep away from the carriageway.
0:32:59 > 0:33:04'Today, Helimed 99 has just dealt with an injured off-road biker
0:33:04 > 0:33:07'when a more serious case comes in.'
0:33:07 > 0:33:09One fatal, two trapped.
0:33:09 > 0:33:16'Emergency services are dealing with a motorway pile-up in Cheshire.'
0:33:16 > 0:33:21The Manchester Air Ambulance is out. We can't fall back on them.
0:33:21 > 0:33:23It's one of those situations!
0:33:23 > 0:33:28'This journey takes them through the congested approach path
0:33:28 > 0:33:31'into one of the UK's biggest airports.'
0:33:31 > 0:33:33Helimed 99 Alpha.
0:33:33 > 0:33:36Request to transit controlled airspace.
0:33:36 > 0:33:39'For pilot Tim, this is hard work.
0:33:39 > 0:33:42'Simon's navigation must be precise.
0:33:42 > 0:33:47'There's risk of a mid-air collision in these crowded skies.'
0:33:47 > 0:33:52A busy area of airspace with Manchester International Airport.
0:33:52 > 0:33:57They're usually dead good to us and give us priority clearances.
0:33:57 > 0:34:01'On the M6 in Cheshire, there's been a multiple pile-up.
0:34:01 > 0:34:07'A mobile home's crossed the central barrier and hit oncoming traffic.'
0:34:07 > 0:34:13It collided with a taxi and caused two vehicles to collide, four in total.
0:34:13 > 0:34:15Helimed 99, go ahead.
0:34:15 > 0:34:21ON RADIO: 'Update. This is on the main carriageway.
0:34:21 > 0:34:27'They're looking for you to set down on the M6 southbound, south of 21A.
0:34:27 > 0:34:32'It has been closed off, as far as I'm aware, at the moment.'
0:34:32 > 0:34:38'With motorway speeds, this can result in an impact of 140mph or more.
0:34:38 > 0:34:42'Sadly, the driver of a taxi has been killed.'
0:34:42 > 0:34:44See the ambulance on our nose?
0:34:44 > 0:34:49The police have to shut both sides of the motorway off.
0:34:49 > 0:34:52Failing that, we'll land as near as we can.
0:34:52 > 0:34:57'The woman driving the mobile home has survived,
0:34:57 > 0:34:59'trapped in the shattered wreckage.'
0:34:59 > 0:35:02Let's have a good look at this.
0:35:02 > 0:35:06- Got wires on this side. - Nothing crossing the carriageway.
0:35:06 > 0:35:11We'll come in over those light stanchions and put it here,
0:35:11 > 0:35:14on the carriageway where the accident's happened.
0:35:14 > 0:35:18'The police have closed the motorway allowing Tim to touch down.
0:35:18 > 0:35:24'Speed caused the driver's injuries. Now, it might save her life.'
0:35:24 > 0:35:27- OK on my left?- Clear on the left.
0:35:27 > 0:35:32'Mobile homes are little more than vans with a lightweight shell.
0:35:32 > 0:35:36'The impact has shattered the living area.
0:35:36 > 0:35:40'Debris makes it harder for firefighters to free the driver.'
0:35:40 > 0:35:43- Hello, mate.- All right?
0:35:43 > 0:35:48This lady trapped at the minute. Her legs are bent back beneath her.
0:35:48 > 0:35:53We can't gauge exactly what the problem is with the legs.
0:35:53 > 0:35:57There seems to be bleeding from this right one.
0:35:57 > 0:35:59You don't know whether...
0:35:59 > 0:36:04'This accident has paralysed the northwest's motorway network,
0:36:04 > 0:36:08'but emergency services can't afford to worry about that.
0:36:08 > 0:36:13'The driver is seriously injured. Local doctors are treating her.
0:36:13 > 0:36:18'Until her legs are freed, there's a limit to what can be done.'
0:36:18 > 0:36:20One person dead.
0:36:20 > 0:36:22Someone trapped in the wreckage.
0:36:22 > 0:36:27There's a medical team here from a local hospital.
0:36:27 > 0:36:30They're getting her pain relief sorted out.
0:36:30 > 0:36:34I'll get our spinal board and we'll take her to the nearest hospital.
0:36:34 > 0:36:40'The fire crews are equipped with the latest hydraulic cutting gear,
0:36:40 > 0:36:44'but the steel shell is tougher than they expected.
0:36:44 > 0:36:47'At last, the woman is freed.'
0:36:47 > 0:36:51It looks all right. That's a good sign.
0:36:51 > 0:36:56As you can see from the van, she did have a massive impact.
0:36:56 > 0:37:00'The patient took months to recover from the accident.
0:37:00 > 0:37:07'She was found guilty of causing death by dangerous driving and given a suspended prison sentence.'
0:37:07 > 0:37:09The van had taken quite an impact
0:37:09 > 0:37:12at the front and the side.
0:37:12 > 0:37:16I'm not sure how much was the fire brigade and how much was the impact!
0:37:16 > 0:37:19It doesn't get much worse than that.
0:37:19 > 0:37:22Life and death on the motorway.
0:37:22 > 0:37:24But, as these guys will tell you,
0:37:24 > 0:37:29you're more likely to be killed or seriously injured on an A-road.
0:37:29 > 0:37:32Let's find out how Malcolm Pipes is doing,
0:37:32 > 0:37:35the man whose hand was severed
0:37:35 > 0:37:39in an accident involving an electric saw at his workshop.
0:37:39 > 0:37:44'At the Leeds General Infirmary, the team of doctors and plastic surgeons
0:37:44 > 0:37:47'are examining an injury they've never seen before.
0:37:47 > 0:37:52'Furniture maker Malcolm Pipes has cut his left hand clean off
0:37:52 > 0:37:55'with this saw in his workshop near Thirsk.
0:37:55 > 0:38:00'Malcolm and his hand are immediately prepared for surgery.
0:38:00 > 0:38:05'Consultant Mr Howard Peach attempts a procedure he's never done before,
0:38:05 > 0:38:09'reattaching a severed hand.'
0:38:09 > 0:38:14It's probably not a procedure a lot of plastic surgeons will have done.
0:38:14 > 0:38:20'The X-ray of Malcolm's forearm and hand highlights the challenge.'
0:38:20 > 0:38:24The principles are one of stabilising the hand,
0:38:24 > 0:38:30fixing the hand back onto the arm, so the bony skeleton is stable.
0:38:30 > 0:38:35Then you have a background on which to repair the tendons, nerves,
0:38:35 > 0:38:38blood vessels and the skin over the top.
0:38:38 > 0:38:42'It's painstakingly intricate surgery
0:38:42 > 0:38:44'but six hours later, it's over.
0:38:44 > 0:38:50'Two weeks later, Malcolm's back for his first checkup.
0:38:50 > 0:38:52'Against all the odds,
0:38:52 > 0:38:55'and thanks to Mr Peach and his team,
0:38:55 > 0:38:59'Malcolm's hand has been successfully sewn on.'
0:38:59 > 0:39:03It's nice and clean. There's no evidence of infection.
0:39:03 > 0:39:08The physiotherapist will try and increase the passive movement.
0:39:08 > 0:39:10- They're the...?- Physioterrorists.
0:39:10 > 0:39:15'No-one knows how much movement Malcolm will regain.
0:39:15 > 0:39:20'It's been difficult, as Malcolm struggled to come to terms with what happened.'
0:39:20 > 0:39:23You could have bled to death.
0:39:23 > 0:39:26When you see all these people,
0:39:26 > 0:39:31makes you realise how lucky I've been, really.
0:39:31 > 0:39:37I mean, me hand's on. It's so marvellous. I can't take it all in.
0:39:37 > 0:39:43'In a picturesque Yorkshire village, Malcolm's workshop is quiet.
0:39:43 > 0:39:48'When you look around, this is the work of no ordinary carpenter.
0:39:48 > 0:39:53'For 35 years, Malcolm handcrafted furniture
0:39:53 > 0:39:57'for the world famous cabinetmaker the Mouseman of Kilburn,
0:39:57 > 0:40:01'before setting out on his own.'
0:40:01 > 0:40:04I carved that out of a ha'penny mould.
0:40:04 > 0:40:07Down each leg of the mirror,
0:40:07 > 0:40:11there's oak leaves and acorns going down.
0:40:11 > 0:40:15'Despite what happened here, Malcolm can't keep away.'
0:40:15 > 0:40:19That sits on top of there.
0:40:19 > 0:40:23Then the mirror goes on top of here up here.
0:40:23 > 0:40:29'This is what he does. The pride he takes in it is still there.'
0:40:29 > 0:40:33This is something I do and always wanted to do.
0:40:35 > 0:40:37SIGHS
0:40:37 > 0:40:39Somebody has to do it, haven't they?
0:40:39 > 0:40:43Don't think I'll do it again but it hasn't...
0:40:43 > 0:40:46I've still got a love for it.
0:40:46 > 0:40:49And I will have till the day I die. I can't help it.
0:40:49 > 0:40:52'Malcolm gets on with things.'
0:40:52 > 0:40:57'That even means dealing with the power saw that took his hand off.'
0:40:57 > 0:41:01It's a marvellous thing. It's also dangerous.
0:41:01 > 0:41:03Unfortunately, I found out.
0:41:03 > 0:41:07I don't know what happened. Something attracted me.
0:41:07 > 0:41:10I can't remember. I don't want to go into it.
0:41:10 > 0:41:13I've laid in bed thinking about it.
0:41:13 > 0:41:15I'm sorry, I can't.
0:41:15 > 0:41:17I can't.
0:41:17 > 0:41:24'The question Malcolm wants answered is will he be able to work again?'
0:41:25 > 0:41:30I knew what I'd done. I'll never forget it.
0:41:30 > 0:41:35You don't realise the consequences it's caused, do you?
0:41:35 > 0:41:39I don't know. Just happened so quick.
0:41:39 > 0:41:41'It's too early to tell.
0:41:41 > 0:41:46'Surgeons say it's rare to regain full dexterity in a reattached hand.
0:41:46 > 0:41:49'But Malcolm hasn't given up hope.'
0:41:49 > 0:41:53It's no good bawling my eyes out cos I had a lovely life.
0:41:53 > 0:41:56I've done all I wanted to do.
0:41:56 > 0:42:00Maybe not got everything finished I wanted to finish but...
0:42:00 > 0:42:03I can't complain.
0:42:03 > 0:42:07'When Helicopter Heroes comes back - holiday rescue.
0:42:07 > 0:42:11'Sammy recruits an army of day trippers to save her patient.'
0:42:11 > 0:42:15If at any time you are not happy, shout, "Stop!"
0:42:17 > 0:42:22'There's a major emergency, as a car crashes into a crowded pub.'
0:42:22 > 0:42:25Dust and brickwork going everywhere.
0:42:25 > 0:42:31'Helimed 99 takes a trip to the seaside after a man collapses.'
0:42:31 > 0:42:34Time is the most important thing.
0:42:35 > 0:42:39'And a cyclist run over by a tractor fights for his life.'
0:42:52 > 0:42:55Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd