0:00:03 > 0:00:08If you're critically ill or seriously injured in a place like this,
0:00:08 > 0:00:12there's only one thing that can save you, and that's speed.
0:00:12 > 0:00:14No matter where you are,
0:00:14 > 0:00:18this helicopter with its highly-trained team of pilots and paramedics
0:00:18 > 0:00:22will fly to your rescue at 4.5 miles a minute.
0:00:22 > 0:00:25These are Yorkshire's helicopter heroes.
0:00:46 > 0:00:50When the people of Britain's biggest county dial 999,
0:00:50 > 0:00:53there's a good chance help will come from the skies.
0:00:53 > 0:00:58The Yorkshire Air Ambulance is ready to scramble 365 days a year.
0:00:58 > 0:01:02Each one brings a new life-or-death emergency.
0:01:02 > 0:01:05Today on Helicopter Heroes:
0:01:05 > 0:01:08a pleasure flight ends in a terrible crash
0:01:08 > 0:01:10and the pilot's wife is trapped.
0:01:10 > 0:01:12Is this blood loss been from head injury?
0:01:14 > 0:01:17You don't have to be a rocket scientist to know this hurts.
0:01:17 > 0:01:19He's a bright guy, a character!
0:01:19 > 0:01:23But is so happens this patient works for NASA.
0:01:24 > 0:01:27A new home-owner has an unexpected visitor.
0:01:27 > 0:01:31I've been here just three months. I haven't even unpacked yet!
0:01:31 > 0:01:36And the former flight attendant determined to become one of the Helimed team.
0:01:41 > 0:01:45Having your own private plane is a dream for thousands.
0:01:45 > 0:01:48Weekends away and no traffic jams!
0:01:48 > 0:01:50But flying a light aircraft
0:01:50 > 0:01:53is not as safe as checking in for that jet to the sun.
0:01:53 > 0:01:57As one couple found out on one sunny summer's day.
0:01:59 > 0:02:03The skies over Yorkshire are a playground for weekend pilots.
0:02:03 > 0:02:08And when a plane crashes, the Helimed team scramble instantly.
0:02:08 > 0:02:14..a green field. We're trying to sort out who's going out.
0:02:15 > 0:02:19The crew are keen to get on the way, but Helimed 99 must take on more fuel
0:02:19 > 0:02:21before it can take off.
0:02:22 > 0:02:24The team don't waste any time, though,
0:02:24 > 0:02:27as they finalise their route to the crash scene.
0:02:27 > 0:02:30East of Norton-on-Derwent. Find Norton-on-Derwent,
0:02:30 > 0:02:33which is here. Come east.
0:02:34 > 0:02:37Is it next door to Eddsfield airfield?
0:02:37 > 0:02:40- That's where we'll be. - That's where it is.
0:02:43 > 0:02:4850 miles away, emergency services are fighting to free the female passenger
0:02:48 > 0:02:51in a plane that left the runway and crashed through the hedge
0:02:51 > 0:02:54at an airstrip on top of the Yorkshire Wolds.
0:02:55 > 0:02:58We found a 49-year-old patient
0:02:58 > 0:03:01trapped in the cockpit of the plane.
0:03:04 > 0:03:09Airborne at last, paramedic Ben Anderson is only on his second week in the air
0:03:09 > 0:03:12and he knows his skills will be tested today.
0:03:12 > 0:03:16I got told head injury and leg injury that was bleeding profusely.
0:03:16 > 0:03:18OK.
0:03:18 > 0:03:22At least Tony Wilkes has been to air crashes before
0:03:22 > 0:03:25and the scene of the accident is familiar.
0:03:25 > 0:03:29A light aircraft has crashed. Not sure if it's on takeoff or landing.
0:03:29 > 0:03:31It's at an airfield that we know.
0:03:31 > 0:03:35Every now and again we call in for some fuel.
0:03:35 > 0:03:38Obviously, they're not designed to crash, but you do.
0:03:38 > 0:03:42You don't always have the protection that you'd like.
0:03:42 > 0:03:47At Eddsfield, the tiny airfield near the market town of Driffield,
0:03:47 > 0:03:50part-time fire-fighters are hard at work
0:03:50 > 0:03:54removing the canopy of the plane to reach Denise Lee
0:03:54 > 0:03:56whose husband Brian was flying.
0:03:57 > 0:03:59Helimed pilot JJ Smith
0:03:59 > 0:04:02is curious to find out what went wrong.
0:04:02 > 0:04:04- Did she go through the fence? - Apparently, yeah.
0:04:04 > 0:04:07Check for landing, please.
0:04:07 > 0:04:09Seatbelts.
0:04:09 > 0:04:12At last, Helimed 99 is on final approach to Eddsfield.
0:04:12 > 0:04:14JJ isn't hanging about.
0:04:14 > 0:04:17It's going to be rough as we go down, guys.
0:04:17 > 0:04:20He knows an airfield won't have the wires and trees
0:04:20 > 0:04:23he has to look out for on a normal approach.
0:04:25 > 0:04:30Businessman and part-time pilot Brian Lee was coming in to land
0:04:30 > 0:04:33when something went wrong and his £50,000 Robin light plane
0:04:33 > 0:04:36careered off the end of the runway,
0:04:36 > 0:04:39smashed through a ledge and hit a fence.
0:04:39 > 0:04:41Now his wife is badly hurt.
0:04:41 > 0:04:44What's it gone up to now?
0:04:45 > 0:04:50- It's when she moves it, it whops straight up to ten.- OK.
0:04:51 > 0:04:53Despite wearing a full safety harness,
0:04:53 > 0:04:56both bones in Denise's right leg are broken
0:04:56 > 0:04:59and she's bleeding heavily from a cut to her head.
0:04:59 > 0:05:03Has all this blood loss just been from head injury?
0:05:03 > 0:05:05Was someone sat here as well?
0:05:05 > 0:05:08What's worrying the fire brigade
0:05:08 > 0:05:13is the high-octane aviation fuel leaking from the damaged tanks in the aircraft's wings.
0:05:13 > 0:05:17If it catches fire, they'll have seconds to react.
0:05:17 > 0:05:19It's still leaking fuel.
0:05:19 > 0:05:20Yeah.
0:05:20 > 0:05:24To make things worse, they can't rule out a spinal injury,
0:05:24 > 0:05:28which means moving Denise quickly could paralyse her.
0:05:28 > 0:05:30It's a dangerous situation.
0:05:31 > 0:05:33All we've done is assist by removing the canopy
0:05:33 > 0:05:36to help release the casualty.
0:05:36 > 0:05:41The lady's not actually trapped, but it'll be a difficult extrication
0:05:41 > 0:05:42because of her injuries.
0:05:42 > 0:05:45We're going to put her on a spine board
0:05:45 > 0:05:48and then lift her out.
0:05:48 > 0:05:51Have we got any more... Can we get another BP at all,
0:05:51 > 0:05:54- or is it gonna cause... - Yeah, we can...
0:05:54 > 0:05:58The damage to the aircraft is an indication of the deceleration
0:05:58 > 0:06:01Denise experienced as the aircraft hit the fence.
0:06:01 > 0:06:03Now Brian, who escaped unhurt,
0:06:03 > 0:06:06can only stand and watch the battle to free his wife.
0:06:06 > 0:06:10The pilot is walking wounded,
0:06:10 > 0:06:12but not seriously wounded.
0:06:12 > 0:06:16They're both very lucky. Both very lucky.
0:06:16 > 0:06:20Once we start moving her, the thing is...
0:06:20 > 0:06:24Denise's badly broken leg and fears for her back
0:06:24 > 0:06:26means the operation to lift her from the cockpit
0:06:26 > 0:06:29will have to be long and delicate.
0:06:29 > 0:06:32And the fuel is continuing to leak.
0:06:32 > 0:06:36I'm concerned at the minute that the aircraft's still leaking fuel.
0:06:36 > 0:06:39We'll be as quick as we can to get out of this position.
0:06:39 > 0:06:41It's definite fractured legs.
0:06:41 > 0:06:45But she's not unconscious, so that's as bad as it's gonna get.
0:06:45 > 0:06:49But to be honest, we're not gonna take too long to get her out
0:06:49 > 0:06:50and make it safe.
0:06:56 > 0:06:59Coming up: the team prepare to free Denise,
0:06:59 > 0:07:01but it isn't going to be easy.
0:07:01 > 0:07:04Lean on her side and bring her legs forward.
0:07:04 > 0:07:08A van driver crashes into a roadside house.
0:07:08 > 0:07:10He's extremely lucky to get out the way he has.
0:07:11 > 0:07:14And new paramedic Al needs a head for heights
0:07:14 > 0:07:16to treat his first patient.
0:07:16 > 0:07:18Let's feel your chest.
0:07:22 > 0:07:25Mountain biking is a booming sport.
0:07:25 > 0:07:28Serious off-road riders head to the North Yorkshire hills
0:07:28 > 0:07:30to test out their skills.
0:07:30 > 0:07:35But coming off one can have serious consequences.
0:07:36 > 0:07:38The North York Moors National Park
0:07:38 > 0:07:40is one of the UK's biggest tourist attractions.
0:07:40 > 0:07:44500 square miles of rolling hills.
0:07:44 > 0:07:47Thousands come here to ride the steam railway
0:07:47 > 0:07:50or hike 1,400 miles of moorland footpath.
0:07:50 > 0:07:53But Dalby Forest, in the heart of the park,
0:07:53 > 0:07:56conceals another more dangerous attraction.
0:07:56 > 0:08:00Paramedic Pat Greaken is about to meet up with an unusual patient.
0:08:00 > 0:08:04A mountain biker who's come off on a track in the heart of the trees.
0:08:04 > 0:08:07It's not the Americans' fault that you good people...
0:08:07 > 0:08:10It's clear he's not local!
0:08:10 > 0:08:13AMERICAN ACCENT: I'm not going to Disneyland, for sure!
0:08:13 > 0:08:1731-year-old Gabriel Sibley is from Boulder, Colorado.
0:08:18 > 0:08:21He's no stranger to coming off things at high speed.
0:08:21 > 0:08:25I've shattered my right hand. I have seven pins in my right hand.
0:08:25 > 0:08:28And that morphine's BLEEP hardcore.
0:08:28 > 0:08:30I barf like a BLEEP.
0:08:30 > 0:08:32I can give you something for vomiting.
0:08:32 > 0:08:35As well as having a way with words,
0:08:35 > 0:08:39Pat's patient seems to have a clear idea of what's going to happen.
0:08:39 > 0:08:41In fact, he's a bit of an expert!
0:08:42 > 0:08:45I hope you're good at intravenous tapping!
0:08:47 > 0:08:49I'm not saying a word at the moment!
0:08:49 > 0:08:52By the way, thanks, everybody. I appreciate it.
0:08:52 > 0:08:55Sorry if I'm angering anybody by being a BLEEP or whatever!
0:08:56 > 0:09:01It's becoming apparent that Gabriel is an unusual sort of patient.
0:09:01 > 0:09:04It turns out he helps build space rockets!
0:09:04 > 0:09:06Really!
0:09:06 > 0:09:10Gabriel is a mate of mine from Oxford.
0:09:10 > 0:09:14He studies robotics down in Oxford.
0:09:14 > 0:09:18And he came over from the US
0:09:18 > 0:09:22and he's a bit of an outdoor sports nut-head, basically!
0:09:23 > 0:09:27He's a bright bloke. He worked for NASA as well! He's a bright guy, a character!
0:09:27 > 0:09:30When not designing lunar buggies,
0:09:30 > 0:09:33Gabriel also does some international down-hill skiing.
0:09:33 > 0:09:38But today, simply riding a bike downhill has gone very wrong.
0:09:38 > 0:09:41I found out he was quite badly,
0:09:41 > 0:09:43so I called the ambulance.
0:09:43 > 0:09:45Tried to find the best reference I could.
0:09:45 > 0:09:49We just kept him calm and cool and he's done really well.
0:09:49 > 0:09:53By the way, mate, well done. Thank you for calling for us.
0:09:53 > 0:09:54- Well done.- What's your name?
0:09:54 > 0:09:57- I'm Sammy.- Thank you. - You're welcome.
0:09:57 > 0:09:59It's so steep. It's really quick down here.
0:09:59 > 0:10:03Then you hit this and he just basically took off.
0:10:03 > 0:10:05There's too much speed and he just launched it.
0:10:05 > 0:10:07He landed on his head.
0:10:07 > 0:10:10There's bits of the helmet scattered over here.
0:10:11 > 0:10:15Look at this, pieces of his helmet.
0:10:19 > 0:10:21If he didn't have his helmet on...
0:10:21 > 0:10:23Over. The bike's all right.
0:10:23 > 0:10:26Apart from the front wheel.
0:10:26 > 0:10:30Have some more gas, Gabriel. That's it.
0:10:30 > 0:10:31Cycle helmets are really solid.
0:10:31 > 0:10:35For Gabriel's to have broken into pieces on impact
0:10:35 > 0:10:37means it's been a huge smash.
0:10:37 > 0:10:38Do you want more gas?
0:10:38 > 0:10:42Even with morphine, Gabriel's pain is getting worse.
0:10:42 > 0:10:44I'll take it if it'll pipe me down.
0:10:44 > 0:10:48It'll make you feel more comfortable. That's it.
0:10:48 > 0:10:51Without an x-ray, it's impossible to see the damage he's done.
0:10:51 > 0:10:54He could have a serious neck or back injury.
0:10:54 > 0:11:01One thing's certain. They need to move him from here and on to hospital as quickly as possible.
0:11:05 > 0:11:09Coming up: the cyclist who launched himself into space
0:11:09 > 0:11:11is prepared for another takeoff.
0:11:12 > 0:11:18Fire-fighters fear an explosion as the operation to free a pilot's wife reaches its climax.
0:11:20 > 0:11:24And new paramedic Kate meets a man whose DIY hobby cost him his fingers.
0:11:26 > 0:11:29The worst-case scenario is they'll amputate them.
0:11:33 > 0:11:37Starting a new life in a rural area sounds great.
0:11:37 > 0:11:40But sometimes, a room with a view of the countryside
0:11:40 > 0:11:43can also have a main road at the front door.
0:11:43 > 0:11:45And that can have its dangers.
0:11:47 > 0:11:49Moving into a new house
0:11:49 > 0:11:52can be one of the most stressful things you'll ever do,
0:11:52 > 0:11:55especially if you're doing the renovations yourself.
0:11:55 > 0:12:00Jacqueline Simpson bought this cottage near Thirsk, north Yorkshire, last year
0:12:00 > 0:12:03and spends all her time doing it up.
0:12:03 > 0:12:05And then this happens.
0:12:06 > 0:12:10A lorry has careered into the side of Jacqueline's new home.
0:12:10 > 0:12:14She's still inside, and the driver's injured.
0:12:16 > 0:12:18'There is now a responder on scene
0:12:18 > 0:12:21'and it transpires there's a patient with a hand injury'
0:12:21 > 0:12:24and they're trapped and also unconscious.
0:12:24 > 0:12:26The fire crews are worried.
0:12:26 > 0:12:31The impact of the crash may mean that the wall of Jacqueline's house has become unstable.
0:12:31 > 0:12:35They make a decision to get the driver out of his cab quickly.
0:12:35 > 0:12:38We first tried to get him out through the driver's door.
0:12:38 > 0:12:42But we realised because of his injuries, that wasn't a practical thing to do.
0:12:42 > 0:12:46So the obvious thing to do was remove the front windscreen,
0:12:46 > 0:12:50which we cut out with a saw, then it was easy to access him through the window.
0:12:50 > 0:12:54The destruction is visible from 500 feet.
0:12:54 > 0:12:57I can roughly do that landing site.
0:12:57 > 0:12:58There are big wires there.
0:12:58 > 0:13:01We're going in on the road, yeah?
0:13:01 > 0:13:05Yeah, we'll go on the road. There's a set of wires across.
0:13:05 > 0:13:07I'll approach over the top of that.
0:13:07 > 0:13:10With police roadblocks halting the traffic,
0:13:10 > 0:13:13the narrow road outside Jacqueline's house
0:13:13 > 0:13:15makes the perfect helipad.
0:13:15 > 0:13:16OK.
0:13:18 > 0:13:22The van driver, David Burton, is a local landscape gardener.
0:13:23 > 0:13:27Flying paramedic Pete Vallance knows he's in a critical condition.
0:13:27 > 0:13:31The fact that you've got out of that wagon that's on its side into a building.
0:13:31 > 0:13:34We have to take it for granted you may have hurt your back.
0:13:34 > 0:13:38The fire crew that rescued David now need to hold him down
0:13:38 > 0:13:39to protect his spine.
0:13:39 > 0:13:42His head injury has left him confused
0:13:42 > 0:13:44and he's trying to stand up.
0:13:44 > 0:13:47- I want to stand up. - No, you have to lie down.
0:13:47 > 0:13:49Dave, can you put your legs down?
0:13:49 > 0:13:51All right.
0:13:51 > 0:13:55The paramedics know that what's happening inside David's head
0:13:55 > 0:13:59can be more worrying than the cuts and bruises they can see.
0:13:59 > 0:14:03We don't believe he's been unconscious, but he's got lower back pain.
0:14:03 > 0:14:06It doesn't appear to be as severe as we initially thought
0:14:06 > 0:14:08but looking at the wreckage,
0:14:08 > 0:14:12the possibility of other injuries that are hidden at the moment
0:14:12 > 0:14:14are possible.
0:14:14 > 0:14:17Jacqueline is still inside, being comforted by friends.
0:14:18 > 0:14:21Quite a high impact involved in the smash.
0:14:21 > 0:14:25He's extremely lucky to get out of it the way he has done.
0:14:25 > 0:14:28Quick thinking and team work by the emergency services
0:14:28 > 0:14:31means that Dave is now ready for his flight to hospital.
0:14:31 > 0:14:36He'll be taken to the specialist neurological team at Leeds General Infirmary.
0:14:36 > 0:14:37Back at the scene of the accident,
0:14:37 > 0:14:42Jacqueline is still in shock. She was hanging curtains in the living room
0:14:42 > 0:14:45when the lorry came hurtling towards her.
0:14:45 > 0:14:48I was standing at that window, removing the newspaper
0:14:48 > 0:14:51to allow the sunshine to come through
0:14:51 > 0:14:54to dry this damp-proofing and plastering.
0:14:54 > 0:14:58I've been here just three months. I haven't even unpacked yet.
0:14:58 > 0:15:02A huge, huge bang
0:15:02 > 0:15:08and instinctively I ran away and I realised there was an accident.
0:15:08 > 0:15:10I still feel terribly shocked.
0:15:12 > 0:15:15I can hardly believe this has happened.
0:15:15 > 0:15:17But it is a lucky escape.
0:15:17 > 0:15:21'Helimed 98 Delta. Clear the ATZ to the north.'
0:15:22 > 0:15:25Jacqueline may have escaped serious injury,
0:15:25 > 0:15:27but the same can't be said for David.
0:15:27 > 0:15:33Helimed 98 is half-way into the 15-minute journey to Leeds General Infirmary
0:15:33 > 0:15:35and there's increasing concern for his condition.
0:15:37 > 0:15:41Head injuries are one of the hardest conditions to treat out of hospital.
0:15:41 > 0:15:47Without a scan, they can't know whether David has suffered one of the most serious head injuries,
0:15:47 > 0:15:49a haematoma.
0:15:49 > 0:15:51If there is bleeding inside his skull
0:15:51 > 0:15:53it could be putting pressure on his brain
0:15:53 > 0:15:55and that can be fatal.
0:15:56 > 0:16:00DAVID CALLS OUT IN PAIN
0:16:01 > 0:16:03- Ooh, that hurt!- Sorry about that.
0:16:03 > 0:16:06- Where did that hurt? - Just in me back.
0:16:07 > 0:16:11David has gone from mangled wreckage to specialist trauma hospital
0:16:11 > 0:16:12in less than one hour.
0:16:12 > 0:16:17But he faces an anxious wait to find out if his injuries are as serious as they appear.
0:16:20 > 0:16:25A few weeks later, and David's back home, but not back to normal.
0:16:25 > 0:16:31Fortunately, his head injury wasn't serious, but the scans and x-rays picked up something else.
0:16:31 > 0:16:33He's broken his back.
0:16:33 > 0:16:35I've got a big scar at the back of my head.
0:16:35 > 0:16:39Apparently I've broken my back in one place.
0:16:39 > 0:16:43In the middle. I think it's 12. C12 or something.
0:16:43 > 0:16:46I've broken my back and I've got to wear one of these...
0:16:48 > 0:16:51..for another two or three weeks, if not longer.
0:16:51 > 0:16:56It is upsetting because I was hoping to be able to work till I was 70.
0:16:56 > 0:16:58But whether I'll be able to drive
0:16:58 > 0:17:03or whether I'll be able to work or take notes, I don't know.
0:17:03 > 0:17:06And there's another twist in this story.
0:17:06 > 0:17:10David actually owns the field next to Jacqueline's house.
0:17:10 > 0:17:13The previous owner sold the field to me and my partner
0:17:13 > 0:17:16and we bought the field at the back, about three acres.
0:17:16 > 0:17:19But there's a good reason why David didn't buy the cottage.
0:17:19 > 0:17:22It's too close to the road, for a start!
0:17:22 > 0:17:26I've seen too many vehicles go into the front of it!
0:17:26 > 0:17:28That's little comfort for Jacqueline.
0:17:28 > 0:17:32But she remains determined to live in Bridge House.
0:17:32 > 0:17:36There's lots to do and it'll be a few more months before her new house is finished.
0:17:36 > 0:17:39But she's still managing to look on the bright side.
0:17:39 > 0:17:43Things could have been for somebody an awful lot worse.
0:17:43 > 0:17:48But it wasn't, and so I'm very grateful for that.
0:17:48 > 0:17:51It's the cosmetic side of things now.
0:17:51 > 0:17:55I'm looking forward immensely to unpacking my things,
0:17:55 > 0:17:57buying some furniture,
0:17:57 > 0:18:01and decorating, and just creating a home for myself, really.
0:18:01 > 0:18:05I'd be deeply unhappy if anything like this happened again.
0:18:07 > 0:18:09But I suppose it's possible.
0:18:14 > 0:18:19Coming up: a NASA scientist heads for touchdown in the NHS.
0:18:19 > 0:18:21He's in a lot of pain with his back.
0:18:22 > 0:18:27And there are testing times for the new recruits fighting to become flying medics.
0:18:32 > 0:18:34Let's get back to the Yorkshire Wolds
0:18:34 > 0:18:39where a pilot's wife is trapped in the wreckage of her husband's light plane.
0:18:41 > 0:18:44The crew of Helimed 99 had to wait to top up their tanks
0:18:44 > 0:18:50before they could scramble to an air crash at a remote airfield on top of the Yorkshire Wolds.
0:18:50 > 0:18:55East of Norton-on-Derwent. Find Norton-on-Derwent, which is here.
0:18:57 > 0:19:00Now paramedics Ben and Tony are helping fire-fighters
0:19:00 > 0:19:04struggling with the complicated extrication of the pilot's wife, Denise Lee.
0:19:04 > 0:19:07My colleague will slap you on some morphine now.
0:19:07 > 0:19:10Proper stuff, Denise.
0:19:10 > 0:19:13She broke both bones in her left leg
0:19:13 > 0:19:17after the family light plane left the runway, crashed through a hedge,
0:19:17 > 0:19:19and hit a fence during a difficult landing.
0:19:19 > 0:19:24OK. We've got a female, obviously she's crashed in a light aircraft.
0:19:24 > 0:19:26Age 49 years.
0:19:26 > 0:19:32She has some lacerations to her head and a fractured tib and fib.
0:19:32 > 0:19:37We're going to Scarborough, ETA possibly 20 to 25 minutes
0:19:37 > 0:19:40but I'll update you nearer the time. Over.
0:19:42 > 0:19:45It's the fuel leaking from the wrecked Robin light aircraft
0:19:45 > 0:19:47that's worrying the fire brigade.
0:19:47 > 0:19:50One spark could cause a devastating explosion.
0:19:50 > 0:19:52Tony knows there's no time to waste.
0:19:52 > 0:19:56His patient needs urgent hospital treatment.
0:19:56 > 0:20:00We'll have to be careful how we're extricating her.
0:20:00 > 0:20:02The ideal way is to get her straight back
0:20:02 > 0:20:05but she's vertically upright so we can't get the board in.
0:20:05 > 0:20:10We've got a vice on her but it's not fitted properly cos we can't get to her legs.
0:20:10 > 0:20:12Just maintaining security of the C-spine
0:20:12 > 0:20:16in case she's got any neck or back injuries.
0:20:16 > 0:20:19But we can't secure it round her legs properly.
0:20:19 > 0:20:23We're worried if we pull her from a vertical position it's gonna come off.
0:20:23 > 0:20:26We're gonna lean her on her side and hope the legs follow.
0:20:26 > 0:20:29But she's got definite fractures, so we have to be careful.
0:20:29 > 0:20:31Will that board come in any more?
0:20:36 > 0:20:41We need a few hefty people round this side that can lift well.
0:20:41 > 0:20:43Are you a good lifter?
0:20:43 > 0:20:46We're only ever gonna move at six inches at a time.
0:20:46 > 0:20:50Denise's husband Brian is doing his best not to show his feelings.
0:20:50 > 0:20:56He's trying to comfort his wife as the operation to free her enters its final phase.
0:20:56 > 0:20:59Sorry about this, sweetie. Ready, steady, lift.
0:20:59 > 0:21:01DENISE CRIES OUT
0:21:04 > 0:21:07Quite a smooth extrication at the end of the day.
0:21:07 > 0:21:10We'll get her on the aircraft, give her some more pain relief
0:21:10 > 0:21:13and reassess her injuries.
0:21:13 > 0:21:17Light aircraft don't have the crash protection motorists enjoy.
0:21:17 > 0:21:19No airbags or crumple zones.
0:21:19 > 0:21:23The team think the rudder pedals on which Denise's feet were resting
0:21:23 > 0:21:26may be responsible for her broken bones.
0:21:30 > 0:21:33But they can't rule out even more serious injuries.
0:21:38 > 0:21:43Coming up: Denise reaches hospital, but are her flying days over?
0:21:44 > 0:21:50And the team's new paramedics learn how to become fire-fighters as their training continues.
0:21:55 > 0:21:57If you hurt yourself in America,
0:21:57 > 0:22:02the first question they'll ask you in hospital is your credit card number.
0:22:02 > 0:22:05Up in north Yorkshire, one patient from the States
0:22:05 > 0:22:07is about to find out about free health care
0:22:07 > 0:22:10on the NHS.
0:22:11 > 0:22:14Helimed 99 has landed at a mountain bike track
0:22:14 > 0:22:17in the Dalby Forest in north Yorkshire.
0:22:17 > 0:22:20Their patient is Gabriel Sibley from Colorado.
0:22:21 > 0:22:24He's a robotics scientist who's worked for NASA.
0:22:24 > 0:22:28But he came to earth with a bang when his mountain bike launched him into space.
0:22:28 > 0:22:32Paramedics Pat and Sammy are unsure of his injuries
0:22:32 > 0:22:34but he's in great pain.
0:22:34 > 0:22:37Gabriel, I want you to put this arm up there.
0:22:37 > 0:22:39OK. Same with that one.
0:22:39 > 0:22:41- Aghh! I can't!- OK.
0:22:41 > 0:22:42Aghh!
0:22:42 > 0:22:45I can't move that arm. It hurts too much.
0:22:45 > 0:22:48Where does it hurt? In the wrist? Elbow? Shoulder?
0:22:48 > 0:22:50- In the ribs in the back.- OK.
0:22:50 > 0:22:54They have to assume the worst - spinal damage.
0:22:54 > 0:22:57They need to move him onto a rigid board to protect his back.
0:22:57 > 0:23:00You can see the problem on that right shoulder.
0:23:02 > 0:23:05The chopper landed in a field 200 metres from the cycle track.
0:23:05 > 0:23:11If he's got a spinal injury, they need to carry him smoothly over the rough terrain.
0:23:13 > 0:23:18Fortunately, all his extreme sportsmen mates are on hand to help out.
0:23:18 > 0:23:20Welcome aboard.
0:23:20 > 0:23:22Do you remember the accident at all, Gabriel?
0:23:22 > 0:23:25I did one lap, and then I went again
0:23:25 > 0:23:28and I guess on the first jump I went too far.
0:23:28 > 0:23:31- Do you remember falling and being on the floor?- No.
0:23:31 > 0:23:34- Is there some black areas? - I remember right before I hit
0:23:34 > 0:23:36then it's black.
0:23:36 > 0:23:40Gabriel can see that there are problems with his hands and finger.
0:23:40 > 0:23:44He has enough medical knowledge of his own to realise the symptoms
0:23:44 > 0:23:47of a potential problem.
0:23:47 > 0:23:50Can you just check that my left finger is too cold?
0:23:50 > 0:23:55I mean, the blood circulation might... Left middle, I think.
0:23:55 > 0:23:58- That one?- It's really cold. - That's the one that's deformed.
0:23:58 > 0:24:00- It feels really cold.- Yeah.
0:24:02 > 0:24:07Pilot Steve gets the helicopter on the way to the James Cook Hospital in Middlesbrough.
0:24:07 > 0:24:10It's ten minutes across the North York Moors.
0:24:11 > 0:24:14Pat's worried about Gabriel,
0:24:14 > 0:24:17particular the injuries he can't see.
0:24:17 > 0:24:21At the moment, he's stable. He's taken a big fall at speed,
0:24:21 > 0:24:23landing on his head and back.
0:24:23 > 0:24:27We believe he's broken both his wrists
0:24:27 > 0:24:30and sustained internal injuries we can't see.
0:24:30 > 0:24:33We want to get him to hospital, get him checked out.
0:24:33 > 0:24:36But my main concern is his back.
0:24:36 > 0:24:38Once they land in Middlesbrough,
0:24:38 > 0:24:41it's a short push from the helicopter to the only person
0:24:41 > 0:24:44who can diagnose Gabriel's injuries.
0:24:44 > 0:24:47A trauma consultant armed with x-rays.
0:24:47 > 0:24:50Gabriel's just grateful he's here.
0:24:55 > 0:25:00Some of the world's most gifted scientists work at Oxford University.
0:25:00 > 0:25:04The academics' choice of transport is the pushbike.
0:25:05 > 0:25:07But not Gabriel. At least, not yet.
0:25:07 > 0:25:11This is a CT scan of the head, looking for head injuries.
0:25:11 > 0:25:14It's been a few weeks since his accident.
0:25:14 > 0:25:17He's back at work and analysing data -
0:25:17 > 0:25:19his own battered body!
0:25:19 > 0:25:21I broke number four and number five metacarpals,
0:25:21 > 0:25:24a compound fracture. It came out right here.
0:25:24 > 0:25:29The break in number four started at the head of a pin
0:25:29 > 0:25:33from a previous break when I was 16. There's seven pins in there.
0:25:33 > 0:25:37I really bruised the inside of my upper right torso here.
0:25:37 > 0:25:40And my back. That's what I was most worried about.
0:25:40 > 0:25:42That hurt way more than my hands hurt.
0:25:42 > 0:25:46I could see the bones coming out and that's what hurt me.
0:25:46 > 0:25:48Ow! Ow! Ow!
0:25:48 > 0:25:50Ow! Ow!
0:25:50 > 0:25:52Ow!
0:25:52 > 0:25:54Listening to it, really more than seeing it,
0:25:54 > 0:25:58you can hear the sound of the pain. Yeah.
0:25:58 > 0:26:01Have some more gas for me. Good lad.
0:26:01 > 0:26:04Slightly relax your arms. We'll put a blanket underneath.
0:26:05 > 0:26:09To make such a simple error as to go too fast over a big jump
0:26:09 > 0:26:12is not something I would do. I've never done that.
0:26:12 > 0:26:15I've been hitting jumps for a long, long time.
0:26:15 > 0:26:18So, yeah, definitely, it shook me up.
0:26:18 > 0:26:22In the USA, Gabriel says the care that he has had
0:26:22 > 0:26:26would have cost many thousands of pounds and he's very grateful.
0:26:26 > 0:26:30But there is one piece of kit that didn't cost a lot.
0:26:30 > 0:26:32And he owes it his life.
0:26:32 > 0:26:35I still have a bump on my forehead. I think it'll go.
0:26:35 > 0:26:40Yeah. If it wasn't for that helmet, I don't think I'd be here.
0:26:45 > 0:26:48Coming up: A pilot's wife finally reaches hospital.
0:26:48 > 0:26:52But has she really escaped a plane crash with just a broken leg?
0:26:58 > 0:27:00Being a paramedic on the road takes special skills.
0:27:00 > 0:27:03You have to be able to think quickly and clearly
0:27:03 > 0:27:05when everyone else is panicking.
0:27:05 > 0:27:08And you have to master complex medical procedures.
0:27:08 > 0:27:11Imagine trying to find someone who can do all that
0:27:11 > 0:27:13in one of these!
0:27:14 > 0:27:17Everyone who's ever been in the emergency services
0:27:17 > 0:27:20will tell you that despite all the training,
0:27:20 > 0:27:23driving on blue lights gives you a buzz like no other.
0:27:23 > 0:27:27Add to that the job satisfaction that comes with saving someone's life,
0:27:27 > 0:27:32and you can understand why there's no shortage of people wanting to be paramedics.
0:27:32 > 0:27:35But today, more than 30 ambulance staff
0:27:35 > 0:27:39want to give all that up for a place in a cockpit.
0:27:39 > 0:27:41There are job vacancies at the Helimed team.
0:27:41 > 0:27:44And the competition is fierce.
0:27:44 > 0:27:47'A lot of nervous people wandering about the unit today.'
0:27:47 > 0:27:51Some of them have been waiting up to two years for today.
0:27:51 > 0:27:56First, they've got to pass an exam and a tough interview.
0:27:56 > 0:27:58Every job interview is stressful.
0:27:58 > 0:28:01But the candidates for the Helimed job know that today
0:28:01 > 0:28:05they're up against the cream of the ambulance service.
0:28:05 > 0:28:09I've been on a couple of jobs when they've come in and conveyed patients.
0:28:09 > 0:28:14It's something that I've always thought, "That looks good. I'd like to do that."
0:28:14 > 0:28:19Outdoor enthusiast Al Day is one of the first to face the interview panel.
0:28:19 > 0:28:23I think once I got over the initial nerves of it,
0:28:23 > 0:28:27and I started to get going, it wasn't actually too bad.
0:28:27 > 0:28:31I've been in mountain rescue for a long, long time as a volunteer
0:28:31 > 0:28:35so I've always been interested in rescues and that kind of thing.
0:28:35 > 0:28:37Just a perfect job.
0:28:37 > 0:28:41Kate Coughlin's already flown as an observer on the chopper.
0:28:41 > 0:28:43She comes highly qualified.
0:28:43 > 0:28:44As well as being a paramedic,
0:28:44 > 0:28:48she did three years as an airline flight attendant.
0:28:48 > 0:28:52I did a day out with Simon and Paul about three years ago.
0:28:52 > 0:28:54It was a great experience.
0:28:54 > 0:28:57I'm down to the last stage, so fingers crossed!
0:28:59 > 0:29:01And there's good news for both Al and Kate.
0:29:01 > 0:29:04They've beaten off all the other candidates
0:29:04 > 0:29:07to take a coveted seat in one of their Helimed helicopters.
0:29:07 > 0:29:10But there's little time to celebrate.
0:29:10 > 0:29:13There's a lot for our new recruits to learn.
0:29:13 > 0:29:17So, where to now for our successful candidates?
0:29:17 > 0:29:22Well, it's not up in this just yet. First stop, it's back to school.
0:29:23 > 0:29:27At an airbase in Gloucestershire, it's a big day for the successful recruits.
0:29:27 > 0:29:30Their first day as trainee air crew.
0:29:32 > 0:29:37The Earth is divided into parallels and latitude.
0:29:37 > 0:29:40It takes years to become an experienced aviator.
0:29:40 > 0:29:44But these guys have got only two weeks before their first shift.
0:29:44 > 0:29:46No pressure there, then!
0:29:46 > 0:29:50Cumulus, that's a little layer of fluffy cloud.
0:29:50 > 0:29:52Can bring rain occasionally.
0:29:52 > 0:29:57- Strato-cumulus.- That's layers of fluffy bits.- Layers of fluffy bits.
0:29:57 > 0:30:01I don't know my stratus Columbus from my cumulus nimbus!
0:30:01 > 0:30:03Right!
0:30:03 > 0:30:07Hmm. Not sure they've quite grasped the weather charts just yet!
0:30:07 > 0:30:11Let's see if they're any better at dealing with an aircraft that's on fire.
0:30:11 > 0:30:14Helicopters can and do have accidents.
0:30:14 > 0:30:17With a 1,000-litre fuel tank,
0:30:17 > 0:30:19a fire on board is a real risk.
0:30:19 > 0:30:22If that happens, they need to be ready to deal with it.
0:30:23 > 0:30:25Beautiful.
0:30:25 > 0:30:28So, they've got the jobs, done the basic training,
0:30:28 > 0:30:33but the real hard work starts here for the Helimed team's fledgling aviators.
0:30:33 > 0:30:37They've got four weeks to learn the basics of navigating the skies
0:30:37 > 0:30:38the hard way.
0:30:39 > 0:30:43With just a few days to go before they start their new job for real,
0:30:43 > 0:30:46some of the more experienced members of the Helimed team
0:30:46 > 0:30:49are about to put the new recruits through their paces.
0:30:49 > 0:30:54The biggest problem is when you go off the aviation maps onto the local area OS maps
0:30:54 > 0:30:56and suddenly you're covering the ground
0:30:56 > 0:30:58ten times faster.
0:30:58 > 0:31:00It's very hard to go from one to the other quickly.
0:31:00 > 0:31:03You shoot past where you're going
0:31:03 > 0:31:07and then you're lost and it's hard to get back onto it.
0:31:07 > 0:31:12If the weather's bad and they're working hard and we have a pilot from out of the region,
0:31:12 > 0:31:15then it's a team effort.
0:31:15 > 0:31:19Trying to get from A to B quickly, they need to know their map skills.
0:31:19 > 0:31:21Heading?
0:31:21 > 0:31:23A rough heading...
0:31:24 > 0:31:27about two-nine-zero.
0:31:27 > 0:31:29New recruit Kate Atkinson
0:31:29 > 0:31:31is in the co-pilot's seat.
0:31:31 > 0:31:35She's used to navigating around the streets of Wakefield, west Yorkshire.
0:31:35 > 0:31:40Now she's plotting routes across parts of the country she's never seen before.
0:31:41 > 0:31:44As long as we keep that railway on our right-hand side...
0:31:44 > 0:31:47- Left-hand side!- Left-hand side! I did point left!
0:31:49 > 0:31:52With just a few small mistakes,
0:31:52 > 0:31:58Kate, along with the other new flying paramedics, successfully make it through their training.
0:31:58 > 0:32:01Now it's time for the true test for our new paramedics,
0:32:01 > 0:32:04when a job comes in for real.
0:32:05 > 0:32:08Malham Tarn's dead ahead, into Pen-y-Ghent.
0:32:08 > 0:32:10One o'clock, just behind it.
0:32:10 > 0:32:16Whernside's off to our... Well, two o'clock. 12 o'clock, probably.
0:32:16 > 0:32:17Yeah.
0:32:17 > 0:32:21When an emergency call comes in that someone is suffering chest pains
0:32:21 > 0:32:24on top of Pen-y-Ghent, one of the highest hills in Yorkshire,
0:32:24 > 0:32:27Helimed 99 is immediately dispatched.
0:32:27 > 0:32:30The patient could be having a heart attack
0:32:30 > 0:32:32and is in a dangerously remote location.
0:32:32 > 0:32:35For new paramedic Al, this is familiar terrain.
0:32:35 > 0:32:39For years he's been a volunteer member of the mountain rescue team.
0:32:39 > 0:32:44But from the air, things can be a little disorientating at first.
0:32:44 > 0:32:49A solitary person looks like he may be signalling to us at about four o'clock.
0:32:49 > 0:32:55On the ridgeline. Sorry, not four o'clock. Eight o'clock.
0:32:56 > 0:32:59Identifying one person in a vast landscape
0:32:59 > 0:33:03when all you have is a rough grid reference can be tricky.
0:33:03 > 0:33:06Everyone on board has a role to play in identifying the casualty.
0:33:06 > 0:33:10Once located, they then have to find somewhere safe to land,
0:33:10 > 0:33:14all the while knowing that the clock could be ticking for the patient.
0:33:14 > 0:33:18- Nearly there.- It looks very wet, though, Steve.
0:33:18 > 0:33:21Come left, it looks drier. Can you see?
0:33:21 > 0:33:23- Is it black?- Yeah, it is.
0:33:23 > 0:33:25Coming left about ten.
0:33:25 > 0:33:28Keep coming. Tail looks clear.
0:33:28 > 0:33:3257-year-old Stefan Yanecki was hiking with friends on Pen-y-Ghent
0:33:32 > 0:33:35when things started to go badly wrong.
0:33:35 > 0:33:38Hello there, sir. How are you feeling?
0:33:39 > 0:33:41Rough? Tell me what's happened.
0:33:44 > 0:33:46You've got some pain, have you?
0:33:46 > 0:33:47In your chest?
0:33:47 > 0:33:49- Me legs have gone.- Right.
0:33:49 > 0:33:52- Have you still got pain in your chest?- It's aching a bit.
0:33:52 > 0:33:54- Anywhere else?- No.
0:33:54 > 0:33:57This may be Al's first job on the air ambulance,
0:33:57 > 0:34:01but he's had to deal with dozens of injured and unwell walkers in his time,
0:34:01 > 0:34:05both as a paramedic and as a member of the mountain rescue team.
0:34:05 > 0:34:10For now, it's important to establish whether Stefan could be critically ill
0:34:10 > 0:34:13by giving him an ECG to see if he's having a heart attack.
0:34:14 > 0:34:18I just need to have a feel of your chest, Stefan,
0:34:18 > 0:34:20to get these in the right place, OK?
0:34:20 > 0:34:23We were just out for a walk
0:34:23 > 0:34:25and we were coming down the hill
0:34:25 > 0:34:28and he began to feel very unwell.
0:34:28 > 0:34:33He was a bit dizzy earlier, but we thought it was just the steep hill.
0:34:33 > 0:34:39Then we thought we probably need to go back and get him off.
0:34:39 > 0:34:43But he couldn't make it so we sat him by the wall and called the ambulance.
0:34:43 > 0:34:47Al's first job, he's doing absolutely fine. It's his home territory,
0:34:47 > 0:34:50being part of the mountain rescue team.
0:34:50 > 0:34:53Hopefully, he'll be showing me a few things!
0:34:54 > 0:34:56The results of the ECG look good for Stefan,
0:34:56 > 0:34:59but the paramedics don't want to take any chances.
0:34:59 > 0:35:01He needs to be checked over in hospital
0:35:01 > 0:35:05and the fastest way to get him off the mountain is by helicopter.
0:35:05 > 0:35:08We've got him on-board and he's got a bit of pain.
0:35:08 > 0:35:13We'll give him some morphine to make him more comfortable for the trip.
0:35:13 > 0:35:19It's only a short hop to Blackburn, about seven or eight minutes away.
0:35:20 > 0:35:24Cardiac patients, we like to keep 'em comfortable.
0:35:24 > 0:35:27Minutes later, they're airborne.
0:35:27 > 0:35:31Stefan is now on his way from the top of one of Yorkshire's highest peaks
0:35:31 > 0:35:33to the care of a fully-equipped hospital.
0:35:33 > 0:35:36He seems to be doing OK. His pain is easier than it was
0:35:36 > 0:35:38when we first arrived.
0:35:38 > 0:35:42Some of the medication we've given him seems to be taking effect.
0:35:42 > 0:35:45He's fairly comfortable at the moment.
0:35:45 > 0:35:48So a short trip to hospital
0:35:48 > 0:35:52and we'll be able to deliver him into some definitive care.
0:35:52 > 0:35:56This has been Al's first job flying with the air ambulance.
0:35:56 > 0:35:58But it won't be his last.
0:35:58 > 0:36:02It may be Day One, but he's already making a difference.
0:36:02 > 0:36:05So is paramedic Kate.
0:36:05 > 0:36:10Helimed 99 is on its way to help a man who's cut off four fingers with a circular saw.
0:36:10 > 0:36:15Kate has dealt with all sorts of injuries in eight years with the ambulance service.
0:36:15 > 0:36:17But nothing like this.
0:36:18 > 0:36:23I had a chap that had impaled a meat hook into his hand
0:36:23 > 0:36:26but I've never actually had someone's fingers amputated.
0:36:26 > 0:36:29So it's all new.
0:36:29 > 0:36:33If there's anything they can do with the fingers, time's critical.
0:36:33 > 0:36:37Just have to see when we get there how much damage has been done.
0:36:37 > 0:36:40This is the third case in as many months
0:36:40 > 0:36:43where someone has chopped off fingers or a hand
0:36:43 > 0:36:46and the Yorkshire air ambulance has been called to help.
0:36:46 > 0:36:51It's thought that over 15,000 people are injured by saws every year.
0:36:51 > 0:36:54But this case is especially serious.
0:36:54 > 0:36:56He's been chopping wood on a rotary saw.
0:36:56 > 0:36:58The fingers have gone into it.
0:36:58 > 0:37:04The forefinger is as good as amputated, held on with skin.
0:37:04 > 0:37:06He's nicked the middle finger.
0:37:06 > 0:37:09That finger's all but off, just held on by a little flap.
0:37:09 > 0:37:13- And the little finger's all but amputated as well.- OK. - And his thumb.
0:37:13 > 0:37:18The crew from the land ambulance have already given immediate first aid.
0:37:18 > 0:37:23But they've called in the helicopter because the quicker their patient gets to hospital,
0:37:23 > 0:37:26the better the chances of saving his fingers.
0:37:26 > 0:37:31Inside the house, Kate meets some of her colleagues from her days on the road.
0:37:31 > 0:37:33You wanted to find me something, didn't you?
0:37:33 > 0:37:37- Now, then.- This is George.
0:37:37 > 0:37:4063-year-old George Chapman seems remarkably relaxed
0:37:40 > 0:37:44considering he's just sliced off four of his fingers!
0:37:44 > 0:37:47His hand has been tightly bound to prevent any further blood loss
0:37:47 > 0:37:49or damage to the fingers.
0:37:49 > 0:37:53But astonishingly, George has refused any pain killers.
0:37:53 > 0:37:55Kate, I'll get aircraft ready.
0:37:55 > 0:37:58That's it. You're with us.
0:37:58 > 0:38:00I'm gonna get you to sign I've handed over to you.
0:38:00 > 0:38:04Just in case there's any comeback! Thanks, Kath!
0:38:04 > 0:38:07You might get there and his whole arm will be missing!
0:38:07 > 0:38:09It wasn't like that when I left him.
0:38:09 > 0:38:14Now the crew must see if they can get permission to fly George to a specialist centre
0:38:14 > 0:38:18where plastic surgeons can attempt to stitch his fingers back on.
0:38:18 > 0:38:21The digits are off, so he needs them putting back on.
0:38:21 > 0:38:24We need to get him to somewhere as quick as we can.
0:38:24 > 0:38:28I'm getting confirmation of whether we go to Leeds or York.
0:38:28 > 0:38:30George continues to astonish the crew
0:38:30 > 0:38:34by walking to the helicopter and joking with a neighbour on the way.
0:38:34 > 0:38:36Still without any pain relief!
0:38:36 > 0:38:42Just had an accident! Val will let you know about it.
0:38:42 > 0:38:45It's a short journey to fly George to the Leeds Infirmary
0:38:45 > 0:38:48where plastic surgeons are standing by
0:38:48 > 0:38:50to try and re-attach his fingers.
0:38:50 > 0:38:53He's been given the best possible chance
0:38:53 > 0:38:55but there are no guarantees.
0:38:55 > 0:38:58Well, it depends how much damage has been done
0:38:58 > 0:39:03as to whether they can get the circulation going again and the use of his fingers.
0:39:03 > 0:39:06The worst-case scenario is they'll just amputate them.
0:39:06 > 0:39:11For new paramedic Kate, her first week has been a baptism of fire.
0:39:11 > 0:39:14There will be plenty more like this to come.
0:39:14 > 0:39:16As a member of the Yorkshire air ambulance team,
0:39:16 > 0:39:21she will deal with serious injury or major trauma on a daily basis.
0:39:21 > 0:39:24I'm pleased to say all our new recruits made the grade
0:39:24 > 0:39:28and are now ready to fly on life-saving missions unsupervised.
0:39:28 > 0:39:31Now let's join one of them, Ben Anderson, at work
0:39:31 > 0:39:33at a plane crash in east Yorkshire.
0:39:35 > 0:39:40Ben's been caring for pilot's wife Denise Lee for more than half an hour
0:39:40 > 0:39:44and reassuring her that her injuries could have been a lot worse.
0:39:44 > 0:39:47In my opinion, it looks a lot worse than it is.
0:39:47 > 0:39:51It's a scalp injury that's bleeding everywhere.
0:39:51 > 0:39:54- If you look in the aircraft, you're lucky to be alive.- I know.
0:39:54 > 0:39:58Ben took several flying lessons before fatherhood got in the way.
0:39:58 > 0:40:03He knows weekend fliers are among the air ambulance's biggest supporters.
0:40:03 > 0:40:08The Helimed call sign is well known to anyone listening to air traffic control.
0:40:08 > 0:40:13But it turns out Denise's support for the air ambulance goes a lot further than most.
0:40:13 > 0:40:17She's been selling charity raffle tickets for them.
0:40:17 > 0:40:21- We'd best look after you, then!- I've got £1,000 of tickets to sell!
0:40:21 > 0:40:26OK. We have a vested financial interest in looking after you!
0:40:28 > 0:40:32It's less than an hour since Denise took off from the runway at Eddsfield.
0:40:32 > 0:40:35Now she's airborne again,
0:40:35 > 0:40:38this time for the short flight to Scarborough Hospital
0:40:38 > 0:40:41where her injuries will be thoroughly checked out.
0:40:43 > 0:40:45OK. A mast at 12 o'clock.
0:40:48 > 0:40:52The crash team is waiting to examine Denise and x-ray her back.
0:40:53 > 0:40:56Only half the people who experience an air crash survive.
0:40:56 > 0:40:59So Denise has already beaten the odds.
0:41:00 > 0:41:05The next 24 hours will reveal whether she's really been fortunate enough
0:41:05 > 0:41:07to escape with just a broken leg and cuts.
0:41:12 > 0:41:14Just three weeks later,
0:41:14 > 0:41:17and in the picturesque village of Egton Bridge near Whitby,
0:41:17 > 0:41:21Denise is recovering at home with husband Brian.
0:41:21 > 0:41:24She knows she's lucky to be alive, and so does he.
0:41:24 > 0:41:27It happens in a split second. I'd made the decision
0:41:27 > 0:41:31that the speedo was going and if I kicked it to left or right
0:41:31 > 0:41:36I may have turned it over and we'd have been upside-down.
0:41:36 > 0:41:39I'd said to Denise, "We won't make it."
0:41:39 > 0:41:43You see the hedge coming up, you tuck your elbows in and put your head down
0:41:43 > 0:41:45and hope for the best!
0:41:45 > 0:41:48And I came away quite lightly.
0:41:48 > 0:41:52It was Denise that was injured. I just scratched a finger.
0:41:52 > 0:41:54But it's better now. Don't worry!
0:41:55 > 0:42:00All I remember is the hedge tree stumps coming through,
0:42:00 > 0:42:03the glass coming through and...
0:42:03 > 0:42:06I just covered my face. That was it.
0:42:06 > 0:42:11Then everybody running around being very nice and you know.
0:42:11 > 0:42:14Amazingly, the crash hasn't put them off flying.
0:42:14 > 0:42:17Denise is studying for her pilot's licence
0:42:17 > 0:42:20and is determined to carry on when her leg heals.
0:42:24 > 0:42:26When Helicopter Heroes comes back,
0:42:26 > 0:42:31a police spy in the sky swoops on the National Park's bikers.
0:42:31 > 0:42:33But too late to prevent a serious accident.
0:42:33 > 0:42:38I smacked straight into him. All I could see was an explosion of bike bits.
0:42:39 > 0:42:42There's a road smash and the Helimed team are scrambled.
0:42:42 > 0:42:44His finger's gone as well.
0:42:46 > 0:42:49High in the Pennines, a paraglider crashes
0:42:49 > 0:42:52and needs a life-saving flight to hospital.
0:42:52 > 0:42:55He was on a paraglider and come in to land.
0:42:55 > 0:42:58And the show-jumpers riding for a fall.
0:43:12 > 0:43:15Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd