Episode 14 Helicopter Heroes

If you're critically ill or injured in a place like this,

there's only one thing that can save you, and that's speed.

Wherever you are, this helicopter with a team of pilots and paramedics

will fly to your rescue at two and a half miles a minute.

These are Yorkshire's helicopter heroes.

'When the people of Britain's biggest county dial 999,

'there's a good chance help will come from the skies.

'The Yorkshire Air Ambulance is ready to scramble 365 days a year,

'and each one brings a new life-or-death emergency.

'Today on Helicopter Heroes,

'a police spy in the sky swoops on a National Park's bikers,

'but too late to prevent a serious accident.'

All I could see was an explosion of bike bits.

'There's a road smash and the Helimed team are scrambled.'

Looks like his femur's gone as well.

'High in the Pennines, a paraglider crashes

'and needs a life-saving flight.'

He's just come in to land.

'And the show-jumpers riding for a fall.'

It's not just sightseers who are drawn to our National Parks.

The twisting roads through the Derbyshire Peak District

attract bikers out to pit their skills against the local terrain.

'The Helimed team aren't the only tenants at Sheffield airport.

'Next door are noisy neighbours,

'the South Yorkshire Police air support unit.

'Their job is to catch criminals but, with identical helicopters,

'it's inevitable the teams have a lot in common.'

We've got a running total all the time.

-The number of jobs?

-Yeah, like arrests.

Vehicles recovered, missing people recovered.

'Today, the worlds of Helimed 98 and Sierra Yankee 99

'are about to collide over the Peak District.

'It's the first day of Operation Octane,

'a police campaign to reduce the number of deaths among local bikers.

'The focus is the snake pass scenic route from Sheffield to Manchester,

'a favourite with bikers, thanks to sweeping bends and stunning views.'

Vehicle check, please.

'This biker's sticking to the speed limit, but many don't.'

Let's see if we can't catch him.

'But a joy ride has just ended in a terrible accident.'

We're off to a road traffic accident involving two motorcyclists

near Ladybower reservoir west of Sheffield.

We believe one motorcyclist is unconscious.

That's pretty much all the information we've got.

It's quite a way out of Sheffield.

'Paramedic Tony Wilkes and Dr Jez Pinnell know the snake pass's grim reputation.

'The A57 is notorious for accidents like this.

'Paul Davies and brother-in-law Andrew Brown

'took advantage of the first nice day of spring for a ride.'

You've got a helmet on. We're going to take it off.

I'm just going to take hold of your neck.

Basically, two bikes overtook me further back down the road.

The white bike did a U-turn in the middle of the road.

His mate behind him couldn't stop and just smacked straight into him.

All I could see was an explosion of bike bits.

'The damage to the petrol tank shows where Andrew's bike hit.

'Paul was unconscious for five minutes,

'his brother-in-law watching, thinking he was dead.'

I went straight into the side of him. I've gone over the top.

I think he took the brunt of it with the bike hitting him.

'Andrew's foot is crushed. He can't move.

'All he can do is watch as doctor Jez and paramedic Tony

'work on their patient.

'First, they need to take off the gear that probably saved his life.

'The medics see that the helmet is badly damaged, a bad sign.'

I'll be as gentle as I can, OK?

'He could have a serious neck injury. They must take care.'

I'm going to pop a collar on, Paul. OK, mate?

You're doing really well, mate.

'Thanks to Operation Octane,

'there's no shortage of traffic cops on the snake pass.

'Among the first to arrive is Sergeant Nick Pulphrey,

'head of the accident reduction campaign.'

The A57 is one of the main routes.

We're patrolling it to advise motorcyclists on speed and safety.

We got here late for this one.

'Sergeant Pulphrey has dealt with many accidents like this.

'Dr Jez is going to need him to join the medical team.'

-Stop struggling, pal.

-PAUL MOANS

-We're going to help you now.

-MOANING INCOHERENT

'The severity of Paul's head injury is hard to assess,

'but is causing him to fight against his rescuers.

'It's a struggle on the ground, but keeping Paul calm 500 feet up

'will be impossible and potentially dangerous.'

-Which leg's hurting?

-MOANS

'Like this, the Helimed crew can't take him. It's just too risky.'

Paul, do you know where you are?

'The medics need to come up with another plan, quickly.

'Coming up, Dr Jez carries out a tricky procedure

'to ensure his patient reaches hospital alive.'

He's asleep. He won't know anything about this.

'A bird man crashes.'

If he hits the ground at that speed something's got to give.

It's not usually the ground.

'And a show-jumping horse launches its rider to a painful landing.'

Driving to work in the morning can be a chore for most people.

It can also end in serious injury and a trip to hospital.

'If you commute to work by car, you'll know about the rush hour.

'When millions of cars pour onto our roads there's bound to be accidents.

'On a country road in Rotherham, there's been a head-on smash.

'The Helimed team get to work early to beat the rush hour,

'and also to help injured commuters.

'This 999 call's from the driver himself,

'trapped inside his car.'

Helimed 98, just landing on scene now.

'Soaring above the traffic, the team arrives in minutes.'

Where's the other occupants in the other car?

'The other motorists had a lucky escape.

'But the man who made the 999 call is still trapped.'

He's complaining of discomfort in his shoulder.

Looks like his femur's gone as well. Lacerations to his face.

We think done by the air bag.

'Veterinary nurse Kevin Rogers

'has collided with the blue car at a combined impact of 120mph.

'He's injured, but the driver of the blue car had a miraculous escape.'

She said she's fine.

-Is that the lady there?

-That's her.

'The crew's surprised she hasn't got any injuries

'and can get on with her trip to work - but Kevin is going nowhere.'

He's got a significant leg injury.

That's masking any other injuries.

Only once we get him out will we be able to examine him properly for any underlying injury.

'Kevin's legs have been crushed underneath the dashboard.

'An injection of morphine should help with the pain.'

Describe the pain in your body between zero and ten?

-About a seven.

-About a seven?

-Is that mostly in your leg?

-It's all in my leg.

'To get Kevin out safely, the team needs the skills

'and hydraulic cutting equipment of the fire brigade.

'They train for hours for situations like this.'

Kevin, this might make you feel a bit sick.

Tell me and I'll give you something for it.

'The fire brigade call these hydraulic cutters the jaws of life.

'Before they were invented, crews struggled with angle grinders.

'Now, a car roof can be taken off in minutes,

'allowing Lee to make a better assessment of Kevin's injuries.'

-Pulse of 102...

-I've got scissors in my pocket.

-Say again.

-I've got scissors in my pocket.

-All right.

'Kevin has the presence of mind to warn Lee about his medical scissors.'

We've got them.

'Kevin's legs are obviously fractured.

'The impact has been so great, Lee's also worried about his spine.'

One, two, three, lean.

KEVIN GROANS All right, mate.

Can you do me a favour? Trust me.

Put your right arm over your left and hold them together.

We're going to support your leg and everything, all right, mate?

'Kevin has multiple fractures and can't support his own weight.

'He's relying on the strength of his rescuers

'and the medical skills of Helimed 98's paramedics.

'Coming up, the patient begins his trip to hospital, but there's a problem.'

We're going to put something round, like a girdle around your pelvis.

'I'm meeting the horsey set to find out why they risk their lives tackling fences like this.

'And a speed cop comes to the aid of a badly injured biker.'

Old rivalries die hard, just ask any football supporter.

Few come as big as those between Lancashire and Yorkshire.

When it comes to saving lives, even a born and bred Tyke can't let geography get in the way.

'Navigation's always a problem for the Helimed team.

'Finding your way at 2,000 feet is surprisingly difficult.

'But today, paramedics Darren Axe and Simon Cavanagh are heading into uncharted territory - Lancashire.'

Looks like we're skirting a bit north than where we need to be.

-See that wind farm?

-Yeah.

-Straight over that, mate.

'They have been called to the other side of the Pennines

'to rescue a downed bird man, a paraglider who has crashed.

'When you're landing a parachute,

'the only undercarriage is your legs.

'It's feared James Watson's hard landing has damaged his back.

'The only thing that prevents collisions is eyesight, and there's plenty of air traffic.'

-I've got an aircraft at 2 o'clock.

-Are they away from us?

-Can't tell. Looks like a helicopter coming towards us.

-It is.

'Picking out other aviators is difficult,

'especially in bright sunshine.'

-Is it a Chinook?

-I think it's a paraglider.

-It's a microlite.

We've been to some paragliders before.

And, er... Usually when a body hits the ground at that kind of speed something's got to give.

It's not usually the ground.

'Yorkshire has some of the UK's busiest air space,

'and the chopper is heading towards Manchester International Airport's crowded skies.'

There's another helicopter at 3 o'clock. It's busy round here!

This road here. Ambulance. Low here, mate.

Helimed 98 now landing.

A paramedic, Ian, dealing with a lad called James

with a suspected spinal due to a paragliding incident.

-Paramedic Ian's asked if you've got a long board.

-Yeah.

This is James. He's 34.

He's been on a paraglider and he's come in to land.

He's basically landed down on his bum on his back.

Keep nice and still, James.

All right, James? We're getting a long board from the helicopter.

-Where's the nearest hospital?

-I guess it's Fairfield.

I'm not sure they've got a helipad. Royal Blackburn has.

-Ten miles over the hills.

-Brilliant.

-Supposed to be best in area.

There's no tenderness or pain in your neck?

-No.

-And were you knocked out at all?

-No.

'They're in deepest Lancashire, but Darren and Simon discover their patient's also crossed the border.'

He's from Leeds, mate.

LAUGHTER We're not taking you back!

'It's feared he may have damaged his spine.

'James will be strapped to a rigid board to prevent injury,

'until he can be checked out in hospital.'

OK, James? Everyone ready?

Ready? One, two, three, lift.

JAMES CRIES OUT

And one, two, three, down.

You're on.

'It's 700 years since Yorkshire

'went to war with its Lancastrian neighbours in the War of the Roses.

'But in the minds of some proud residents of the white rose county,

'it might have been yesterday.'

Are you from Lancashire?

-LAUGHTER

-He's a Blackburn fan and all!

-Are you a Leeds fan?

-I'm not. No. Thank God!

If you were, I'd leave you here!

'Paragliding's one of the UK's most hazardous sports.

'Pilots are at the mercy of invisible air currents

'and the unforgiving landscape of the hills they fly from.

'James has found that out the hard way.

'James's accident has happened 2,000 feet up in the Pennines.

'This is no place to be injured, unless there's an Air Ambulance.'

We were called out to assist Lancashire Ambulance.

We arrived, ferried paramedics up here, got to the casualty,

and got our helicopter over from Yorkshire to assist.

We're going to take him to Blackburn hospital, if Tim can find it!

Royal Blackburn, or Blackburn Royal Infirmary. This patient.

'Lancashire's hospitals aren't as familiar to the team as their local A&E units.

'But some of them boast facilities Yorkshire lacks.'

ON RADIO: It's a brand new hospital and they've got a large helipad.

Straight off the aircraft into hospital!

There's the pad. This is lovely, isn't it?

-We should come here all the time.

-It's got a wind sock!

'The crew's warming to Lancashire, even if they won't admit it!'

Forward-thinking people. Fantastic helipad at this facility.

They've got to get ten out of ten, in my book.

'James has arrived so quickly,

'it caught the nursing staff on the hop.

'But he'll soon be undergoing treatment.

'Paragliders know paralysis is a danger every time they take off.

'Most believe the thrills are worth the risk.'

See you again! This is cracking, this helipad!

'The good news is, James wasn't badly hurt.

'He crossed back home to Yorkshire after a short stay in hospital.

'Coming up, a veterinary nurse badly needs treatment in hospital.'

Just pulling on your hips a bit, all right.

'Helimed 99 achieves a clear round

'as it touches down in a show-jumping arena.'

Back to the snake pass in the Peak District.

The team's fighting to save a badly injured biker.

'Paul and Andrew are among the year's first casualties on the snake pass.

'They represent a set-back for the cops in the sky

'trying to drive down the toll of deaths on the roads of the Peak District.'

Operation Octane is a campaign aimed at motorcycles on the busier roads.

'Paul, who has a head injury, is married to Andrew's sister.'

All accidents can be avoided, can't they?

Accidents only happen as a result of either negligent behaviour or excessive speed.

These are brothers-in-law.

I imagine there'll be ramifications within the family.

'Paul's injury's making him confused and he's fighting the medical team.'

-PAUL MOANS INCOHERENTLY

-You need to try and relax for me.

Paul, do you know where you are?

'Dr Jez Pinnell is flying today.

'It's a good thing, too. He's an anaesthetist.'

He's going in and out of consciousness.

We're going to pop him off to sleep for safety.

BP's absolutely fine.

No chest problem...

'Dr Steve Rowe, who lives nearby, has also come to help.

'He, too, is an anaesthetist.'

We'll give him a short anaesthetic to get the tube in, control his breathing.

If he was agitated in the helicopter it'd be an uncontrolled situation.

By doing this now

in relatively controlled circumstances, we've gained control.

CRIES OUT We're going to help you now.

MOANING You're going to be all right.

'Jez knows his patient's condition could become unstable.'

If you move, it's going to hurt. Lie very still.

'There's no time to worry about Paul's expensive leather suit.'

You'll be all right now. Your arm will feel a lot better.

'To fly Paul to hospital, Jez must first take control of his breathing.

'It's a procedure called an RSI, usually performed in hospital.'

Are you happy to do that? I'll get Steve to pass me the bits and bobs.

'Today, in the snake pass and with his brother-in-law watching,

'Jez is going to anaesthetise Paul

'and insert a breathing tube into his windpipe.'

Try not to move your leg. I'm just going to give you some painkillers.

'Jez has performed this procedure hundreds of times.

'Without the extra expertise of an A&E department,

'putting Paul asleep is not without risk.

'A cocktail of drugs stops Paul breathing,

'at which point, Jez quickly inserts a tube

'so he can breathe for his patient.

'This is the critical part of the procedure.'

Yeah. Sounds good.

'Jez's experience has worked again and the team can prepare Paul

'for his emergency flight to hospital.'

OK. And relax.

It's a case of getting him up to the aircraft monitors and to hospital.

We've done what we can roadside.

Needs care now at Sheffield Northern.

'Despite huge advances in the design of crash helmets,

'head injuries are still the most common cause of deaths and serious injuries to bikers.

'To prevent Paul becoming another statistic on a notorious road,

'the team need to get him to hospital fast.

'Coming up, the biking brotherhood decide to hang up their leathers,

'thanks to a tearful request from a member of the family.'

I'd rather spend time with her than be on the bike.

'And there's no such thing as a soft landing

'when you come off one of these.'

Rush hour ended in agony for one commuter on his way to work at the vet surgery.

Now the Helimed team have to get him to hospital.

'Rush hour in Rotherham, South Yorkshire.

'Veterinary nurse Kevin Rogers' commute has come to a dramatic halt.

'He's trapped in his car after being involved in a head-on collision.

'Helimed 99's paramedics Lee Davison and Pete Vallance stabilised Kevin,

'but his legs have been crushed and until he's prised out,

'they won't know if he's suffered life-threatening injuries.'

One, two, three, lift.

KEVIN MOANS

Ease the board down a little bit.

'Lee and Pete don't want to wait

'and the process of carefully sliding Kevin out his car begins.'

Somebody take the C spine off me at this end, if you can?

That's superb.

'Morphine is paramedics' painkiller of choice and Kevin needs more.'

What's your pain score now?

-Back up to about six.

-Back up to six. OK.

'There's more bad news for Kevin.

'Lee's worried he may have a fractured pelvis.'

We're going to put something round, like a girdle.

Just to go round your pelvis.

'It's painful but worth it.

'The splint will hold Kevin's bones together until he reaches the waiting surgeons.'

This is going to pull on your hips.

'It's only 9 o'clock in the morning but Kevin's ordeal is nearly over,

'thanks to more than 20 members of the emergency services.'

We were the first on scene, responding from not far away.

As we approached, we knew it was a bad RTC. Patient in a lot of pain. Bilateral fractured femurs.

He knew he was seriously injured but he was quite chatty.

We're going to lift you into the aircraft now, mate.

'Normally, Kevin would be making a cup of tea and preparing the veterinary surgery.

'Instead, he's being air-lifted to hospital for life-saving treatment.'

You're doing fine, mate. You're doing fine.

We're flying to Northern General so you'll not be far from work.

I don't think you'll be nipping in today.

'Sheffield's Northern General hospital is a major trauma centre,

'containing all the skills and equipment that Kevin needs.

'It's a short flight, but Lee and Pete know Kevin faces

'a long and very painful journey back to full health.

'Kevin suffered a list of injuries,

including a fractured pelvis and broken legs, arms and collarbone.

'After surgery, he spent months in hospital.

'I'm pleased to say he's back at work doing the job he loves.'

It's just a country road.

I thought it was a bit icy so I slowed down generally.

Cos of the ice on the road.

But went around a corner, one of my back tyres hit the ice

and came out.

Very lucky, the passenger side was completely non-existent.

There wasn't a passenger side of the car.

If I'd swung the other way, probably wouldn't have been here.

'Although he looks fully recovered,

'Kevin has a physical reminder of the crash.'

For the rest of my life,

I'll have to have a foot raised cos I'm missing 3.5 centimetres off the leg.

I certainly have learned from it. Something I'd never want to repeat.

I wouldn't wish it on anyone to go through.

It's not been a nice experience

but something, hopefully, I'll take away a lot from.

'Coming up,

'the girl who persuaded a biker to give up two wheels when Mum failed.'

My daughter and my wife could have been without me.

Name a dangerous sport. Motor racing? Boxing?

If you asked a paramedic, he'd say horse riding.

Some of their most serious cases involve showjumping or three-day eventing.

'More than two million people regularly ride horses in the UK.

'Equestrianism is one of the most popular countryside pursuits.

'For the paramedics of Helimed 99,

'it's one of the major reasons for emergency call-outs.

'The only problem is, horses and helicopters don't mix.

'At a centre in North Yorkshire,

'an American student has taken a tumble off a horse

'and could be seriously injured.'

I guess she just lost balance and fell right over.

I think it was the way she fell that she hit her leg really hard.

Who knows at this point what's really wrong?

We don't know yet, but she's in pain.

'A land ambulance has arrived and called for back-up.

'The patient has a broken femur, which is potentially very serious.

'Helimed 99 is on the way, but paramedic Tony is only too aware of the obvious hazards.'

Ask the air desk to get in touch with the riding school,

obviously, to get any loose horses secured as best as possible.

'They find the riding school and put the helicopter down away from the scene of the accident.

'The last thing they want to do is spook any horses.

'But the helicopter is now too far away to be any real use.'

It looks like this incident's a fair distance from where we've landed.

Can you give JJ a call on the mobile

ask him to stay with the aircraft?

We'll have to relocate.

Hi, folks. How are we doing?

'Michelle Lombard is in a great deal of pain. She's from America.

'She's learning to be a riding instructor.

'But things have gone badly wrong. She's had a big fall.

She fell over the horse. She hasn't hit her head or anything...

Michelle, what's your pain score?

Ten being the highest, nought being nothing? Is it quite high?

-MUFFLED: Relatively.

-Pardon?

Relatively.

'Michelle is stable, but she needs to get to hospital.

'It's decided to try and bring the helicopter in closer, but there are some loose horses about.

'Pilot JJ thinks he's found somewhere safe.'

The three fields on the left, the middle field of that.

-Middle field?

-Can't miss it. It's a big yellow thing.

Deep breaths.

'Before Michelle can be moved, they need to straighten her leg.

'Ben uses a traction splint to separate the broken bone.

'It should make her more comfortable but it's not a pleasant experience.'

Well done! Keep breathing.

'She's given some more pain relief, which helps her sense of humour.'

# I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts! #

It's amazing what morphine does!

A fractured femur is a big bone and gives a lot of pain.

Looks like we've got on top of that.

JJ's relocated from where we landed a bit closer.

Couldn't get too close. There are horses about.

Our plan is to get Michelle on the land ambulance, to the helicopter.

We've pre-alerted the hospital. Then we'll get away.

'Michelle is now just minutes away from hospital,

'but will takes months to recover.'

She's doing pretty well.

She seems quite stable. The traction splint worked a treat.

Don't need to give her any more pain relief.

She's saying she's got no pain now so a nice smooth flight to hospital.

The roads round here into Harrogate aren't the nicest, are quite bumpy.

As you can see, she's having a little a rest now.

'If Michelle had been rescued by helicopter in America, it could have cost her thousands.

'Here it's free, paid for by charitable donations.

'Thanks to the paramedics of Helimed 99, she's in safe hands.

'Michelle had to put her plans to become a riding instructor on hold.

'The femur is our largest bone

'and Michelle's is held together with plates and pins.

'But she's determined to get back to the sport she loves.'

Every year, around a dozen riders are killed in equestrian events.

It's not hard to see why. Fences can top six feet.

The animals themselves could crush a rider.

'This is Allerton Park, Harrogate, a famous showjumping estate

'with six-foot fences that test even the most talented of riders.

'This young jockey's been injured and she wasn't even riding.

'Lee Davison and Tony Wilkes are no strangers to injured horse riders.

'Showjumping events are different. The horses are bigger.

'The fences are higher and injuries usually more severe.'

Looks like the casualty's on the right there.

If we land near the lake, we'll be well away from the event.

Clear to the right. Clear of the bushes. Tail is clear.

'Horses are easily spooked

'so landing a noisy helicopter in a showjumping arena isn't easy.

'Pilot Andy Figg gets them down safely.'

You're not allergic to any medications?

You've not bumped your head? Your breathing's fine?

Can I pop this boot off?

'This is an unusual accident because 19-year-old Coral Mowbray

'wasn't riding when the accident happened.

'She was walking her horse to the stable when it fell onto her.'

Tell me where it hurts. Is your knee OK?

Is that OK? It hurts there?

'With the horse weighing in at nearly half a ton,

'it's no surprise she got a nasty leg injury.'

'We're in quite an isolated area.

'Because of the time it'll take the land crew,'

we're going to pop this lady on and just take her over to Harrogate.

'That's the plan, but Coral has other ideas.'

I don't want to go to hospital. I want to go home.

You want to go home?

-Thing is, this will need an X-ray.

-No! I don't want one!

'Coral is about to go on holiday and doesn't want to go to hospital in case they stop her jetting off.

'Tony and Lee know that if fractures are left untreated, it can lead to serious complications.'

-A quick flight with us, get you X-rayed...

-I don't want to!

Just have it checked, Coral. It's fine. I just want to go!

-I want to go on holiday.

-But you can't leave it if it's fractured.

That's the thing. You've got to take care of yourself first of all.

'They can't force Coral to go to hospital but Lee's persuasion finally pays off.'

We're going to get a board to put you on. It's a five-minute flight.

Get it checked over and if it's not fractured you'll be on your way home before you know it.

It's an isolated injury so there's no panic. Just load her on and fly her over to Harrogate.

'Coral's looking forward to a bit of relaxation

'so she probably doesn't realise how lucky she's been.

'Tony and Lee know that any accident involving a rider crushed by a horse is usually very serious.

'While her compatriots carry on tackling the jumps,

'Coral should be just a quick X-ray away from her holiday.

'Although there's no room for Mum,

'Lee lives down the road and passes on some local knowledge.'

Across the A1 towards Harrogate.

-Big sign for the hospital. Have you been to the showground?

-Yes.

Past the showground on the righthand side.

'I'm pleased to say that Coral's leg wasn't broken.

'After a quick check-up in hospital, she was allowed to go on holiday.'

When you see a horse, it's not hard to see the appeal of the sport.

The best riders can almost control their mounts by instinct.

Even the most experienced horse men and women can get it wrong.

'Showjumping arenas are not just in the countryside.

'The Helimed team's soaring over Castleford and West Yorkshire

'on their way to another injured rider.

'Amy Holdsworth has been thrown off her horse while jumping a fence over five feet high.'

Hiya, all right?

This young lady's Amy.

She's been doing her jumps, come off a 15-hand horse...

'Amy has landed awkwardly and is still lying face down in the dirt.

'These arenas are on soft ground to try to prevent serious injuries,

'but Amy has some worrying symptoms.'

No C spine. Right hip shooting pain into her legs.

We're going to give her some morphine.

'Lee's worried about her neck, spine and pelvis.'

Had your helmet on, did you?

Good lass. Have you got a back protector? No.

'Morphine is the strongest painkiller the paramedics carry.

'It's done little to help Amy.'

-And move...

-SHE CRIES OUT

'With Amy lying on her front, immobilising her is not easy

'but its essential to prevent making any injuries worse.'

Anybody got a tissue? Can you dab her eye? Her eyes are watering.

'Competitive show-jumpers ride against the clock.

'That's when most accidents happen.

'Amy's a promising rider and has been pushing herself and her horse.

'This is a massive set-back for her training.'

We managed to get her from the position she was in.

She was complaining quite a lot of pain.

We've got her onto the board and given a bit more pain relief.

Mum's flying with us.

We're going to whip her to Wakefield and let them have a look at her.

She'd have been in for a prize today. This isn't much of a prize.

'Mum Sheila has encouraged her daughter's riding

'and watched in horror as Amy fell.'

She got into the jump-off so she wanted to get a good time.

He just didn't jump the fence.

He reared away. She came off the side.

I was OK until she didn't move

when she hit the ground.

Normally, they jump straight back up again.

When she didn't move I went to pieces.

'It's no wonder Amy was in pain. X-rays revealed an unusual injury.

'Amy broke her coccyx, the tip of her spine.

'It took a while to heal,

'but she's back on her mount, ready to tackle the fences once more.'

All our horsey patients recovered and are back in the saddle.

Two men that won't be following their dangerous sport

have a little girl to thank for their decision to give it up.

'High above the Peak District, a life-or-death race is under way.

'In the back of Helimed 99 lies a critically injured biker.

'Paul Davies has a head injury so serious the crew had to anaesthetise him in the middle of the A57.

'He's arriving at Northern General, where a crash team is waiting.

'For four days, Paul drifts in and out of consciousness

'between visits to the operating theatre.

'It was two weeks before the brothers-in-law were reunited.

'They used to come to polish their bikes, their pride and joy.

'Now their riders are recovering from a smash that could have killed both of them.'

He'd got more polish on that paintwork than paint.

Must have been an inch layer of polish. Surprised it didn't bounce.

We were down two or three times a week, polishing it.

That's all I wanted since being a kid, a bike. It were pride and joy.

'But Paul's made up his mind his biking days are over.

'His wife Becky and three-year-old Keira convinced him.'

I'd rather spend time with Keira than be out on a bike.

That's a big eye-opener, really,

knowing that my daughter and my wife could have been without me.

Big eye-opener.

We were just out enjoying ourselves. the weather had come nice.

Went out to have a ride.

Over Ladybower way, there's some nice roads and nice views.

It is beautiful there, if you know the roads, especially.

Got both bones in me forearm.

I've had metal plates and bars put in.

Severe bruising to me leg and bad head injury.

I were in intensive care for five days.

Out cold for most of it. Four days, I think I was out.

So, mucky.

'Andrew's injuries weren't as serious but he remembers the anguish

'of thinking his brother-in-law was dead.

'He won't ride again, either.'

All I could think were it were my fault.

I didn't have chance to think.

All I thought was, "I just hit my brother-in-law.

"I don't know whether he's dead. I can see he's breathing now."

To begin with, I thought he was dead. He was not moving.

With leathers, I couldn't see any breathing.

I'd have rather it had been me laying on the floor than him.

But you can't change places with people, can you?

'The impact had shattered Andrew's foot.

'It's held together with metal pins.

'He still managed to get up and help his mate.'

My first reaction was to run to him.

Obviously, adrenalin was going so I couldn't feel my foot was broken.

Ran over and just tried to wake him up.

I'm a first-aider at work, so I knew I couldn't do anything.

I weren't allowed to move him.

'I tried to keep him as still as possible, tried to bring him round by talking to him.'

I've hurt me foot a bit, that's all.

I do feel bad. Obviously, he's in a bad way as well, with his foot.

He's got a smashed-up bike and he didn't before.

I do feel responsible but maybe if I could remember what happened, I'd feel even worse.

We're glad we're still here, that's the main thing.

'When Helicopter Heroes comes back,

'a major road accident paralyses a village.

'One victim can only think of others.'

-How's the other guy?

-He's stuck in the cab.

'A driver's crushed by his truck.'

He's been dragged down the road.

'A little boy falls six foot on a day out at Gran's.'

Can I have a listen of your tummy?

'And the unsung heroes who help the Helimed team save lives.'

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd