0:00:03 > 0:00:07If you're critically ill or seriously injured in a place
0:00:07 > 0:00:12like this, there's only one thing that can save you and that's speed.
0:00:12 > 0:00:15It doesn't matter where you are, this helicopter
0:00:15 > 0:00:18with its highly trained team of pilots and paramedics
0:00:18 > 0:00:22will fly to your rescue at four and a half miles a minute.
0:00:22 > 0:00:25These are Yorkshire's helicopter heroes.
0:00:47 > 0:00:50When the people of Britain's biggest county dial 999,
0:00:50 > 0:00:52there's a good chance help will come from the skies.
0:00:52 > 0:00:58The Yorkshire Air Ambulance is ready to scramble 365 days a year,
0:00:58 > 0:01:02and each one brings a new life - or death - emergency.
0:01:02 > 0:01:04Today on Helicopter Heroes,
0:01:04 > 0:01:08a teenage boy fights for his life after a road accident.
0:01:08 > 0:01:11He's sustained a very serious injury to his head.
0:01:11 > 0:01:13Only the Helimed team can save him.
0:01:13 > 0:01:16Paramedic Darren's in a tight spot as he joins
0:01:16 > 0:01:19an injured driver trapped in his car.
0:01:19 > 0:01:23I'm just going to turn your car into a convertible for you.
0:01:23 > 0:01:27A boy's badly hurt after a playground accident watched by his mum.
0:01:27 > 0:01:31He was unconscious when I got to him.
0:01:31 > 0:01:35And a dare-devil day-tripper needs hospital treatment after a mishap captured on video.
0:01:41 > 0:01:45If you complain about your garage bill, spare a thought for the charity
0:01:45 > 0:01:47that keeps this thing in the air.
0:01:47 > 0:01:51Even a second-hand Explorer helicopter will set you back
0:01:51 > 0:01:54over £3 million, and an annual service
0:01:54 > 0:01:56will cost well into six figures.
0:01:56 > 0:02:00But for the patients, this machine is priceless.
0:02:00 > 0:02:03It's early evening at air ambulance headquarters,
0:02:03 > 0:02:06and paramedics Lee Gray and Tony Wilkes are nearing
0:02:06 > 0:02:09the end of a 12-hour shift responding to emergencies.
0:02:09 > 0:02:12But their last case tonight will test their life-saving
0:02:12 > 0:02:15skills to the limit.
0:02:15 > 0:02:1713-year-old Calum Parkinson
0:02:17 > 0:02:21has been hit by a car and is fighting for his life.
0:02:21 > 0:02:23Just to let you know, we've been looking at this knock-down
0:02:23 > 0:02:26you're going on. I wonder if you could just give us an update,
0:02:26 > 0:02:29see whether he might need to go to LGI.
0:02:29 > 0:02:32The crew of Helimed 99 are watching details coming in from the scene.
0:02:32 > 0:02:34Accidents don't come more serious than this.
0:02:34 > 0:02:39- He's sporadically fitting. - Yeah, suspicion of a head injury,
0:02:39 > 0:02:41- so I think we'll just dispatch there.- All right.
0:02:41 > 0:02:45Already pilot Pete Barnes is talking to air traffic control.
0:02:45 > 0:02:50..2,000 feet, one zero one zero.
0:02:50 > 0:02:53If Calum has been hit by the car, even at 30 miles an hour,
0:02:53 > 0:02:56there's a 50% chance he'll die.
0:02:56 > 0:03:00Dr Simon Ward and paramedic Lee Gray can only hope
0:03:00 > 0:03:01that they'll get there in time.
0:03:03 > 0:03:07If the parents are on scene, there'll be some grave concerns,
0:03:07 > 0:03:10especially if they've witnessed the child actually being knocked down,
0:03:10 > 0:03:13but obviously it's just a good consolation
0:03:13 > 0:03:16that they've got a doctor en route and obviously a helicopter
0:03:16 > 0:03:20to fly him direct to a treatment centre that is best suited to him.
0:03:20 > 0:03:23If it's a serious head injury, then he might require a general
0:03:23 > 0:03:27anaesthetic to help prevent any further damage to the brain.
0:03:27 > 0:03:32Right, there's a nice little patch just at the top where that big tree is.
0:03:32 > 0:03:36That looks fairly ideal for me.
0:03:36 > 0:03:39Dr Simon Ward and paramedic Tony know they don't have time
0:03:39 > 0:03:42to wait for pilot Pete Barnes to shut down the helicopter.
0:03:42 > 0:03:46Obviously, the incident's just round this bend, so there's potentially
0:03:46 > 0:03:50been a high speed knock-down... this particular stretch of road.
0:03:52 > 0:03:54Hiya, you all right?
0:03:55 > 0:03:59One of Calum's neighbours, Tony Sidcar, is an ambulance technician.
0:03:59 > 0:04:03He provided first aid and has been supporting Calum's head
0:04:03 > 0:04:06since the accident happened.
0:04:06 > 0:04:10The fluid seeping from Calum's nose and ears is the vital liquid that protects his brain.
0:04:10 > 0:04:17It's a big clue that the base of Calum's skull is fractured, and that's a life-threatening injury.
0:04:22 > 0:04:27This is a bad sign. Calum's having a seizure. The pace of treatment must now speed up.
0:04:27 > 0:04:31If Calum is to survive, he needs to be in hospital as soon as possible.
0:04:32 > 0:04:34..Yeah.
0:04:35 > 0:04:38Good man.
0:04:38 > 0:04:41The accident has happened outside Calum's house.
0:04:41 > 0:04:46In the crowd of people, his mum watches on, willing her son to keep breathing.
0:04:53 > 0:04:57Right, Calum, that's one new shirt I owe you.
0:04:57 > 0:04:59Dr Simon should be on a day off.
0:04:59 > 0:05:03Instead, he chooses to take his life-saving skills out of hospital
0:05:03 > 0:05:05in his spare time.
0:05:05 > 0:05:08This could make all the difference for Calum, as Simon is about
0:05:08 > 0:05:11to carry out a procedure that could save his young patient's life.
0:05:11 > 0:05:14I'm going to give him a general anaesthetic.
0:05:14 > 0:05:16He's got a head injury that's going to require him
0:05:16 > 0:05:20to be sedated for the flight, so I'm just getting that ready now.
0:05:23 > 0:05:26If Calum's head is as badly injured as Dr Simon fears,
0:05:26 > 0:05:29the damage to his brain will eventually stop him breathing.
0:05:29 > 0:05:33If the team don't intervene now and put Calum to sleep, he may not even
0:05:33 > 0:05:36survive the journey to hospital.
0:05:43 > 0:05:45Coming up, intensive care comes
0:05:45 > 0:05:49to Calum as another doctor arrives to help anaesthetise him in the street.
0:05:49 > 0:05:53He's fitting - that indicates a very significant injury
0:05:53 > 0:05:54going on inside his head.
0:05:57 > 0:06:00A playground accident could be much more serious than it appears.
0:06:00 > 0:06:03Keep your eyes open for me.
0:06:03 > 0:06:08And the team join the search for a swimmer feared drowned.
0:06:08 > 0:06:11She went in about 20 minutes ago. A little bit longer.
0:06:17 > 0:06:20Wearing a uniform for a living means you never have to put up
0:06:20 > 0:06:23with routine, but I can tell you that being a member of the emergency
0:06:23 > 0:06:29services also involves being put in some pretty risky situations.
0:06:31 > 0:06:33Four-wheel drives are made for going off-road,
0:06:33 > 0:06:35but one driver's unplanned detour
0:06:35 > 0:06:39off the motorway isn't exactly what the designers had in mind.
0:06:39 > 0:06:42Harjit Singh has crashed 100 yards through signs,
0:06:42 > 0:06:44fences and trees.
0:06:44 > 0:06:46Helimed 99 is on its way.
0:06:50 > 0:06:53We've got reports of a four-by- four that has left the motorway
0:06:53 > 0:06:55and rolled over into a field.
0:06:55 > 0:06:57We've had persons reported at the
0:06:57 > 0:07:00location, but we don't know at this time whether or not they're trapped.
0:07:00 > 0:07:03Looks like it's down there, doesn't it? Through those trees.
0:07:03 > 0:07:08- Yeah. And that field looks about as good as owt I've ever seen. - Absolutely, yes, perfect.
0:07:08 > 0:07:10Put her down quickly.
0:07:10 > 0:07:13- Top corner of the field looks flattish to me, mate. - Yeah, it does, yeah.
0:07:13 > 0:07:17An ambulance crew has already come to Harjit's aid.
0:07:17 > 0:07:18You're all clear left.
0:07:20 > 0:07:25- Hiya, lads, how are you going? - He's bleeding but conscious.- Yeah.
0:07:25 > 0:07:30- I'm just going to get collars. I think it's just a case of getting him out and...- Fab.
0:07:30 > 0:07:35But before he gets to work, Darren spots a child's seat and toys that have been thrown from the car.
0:07:35 > 0:07:38- Has a child been thrown with them? - That is a kid's seat up there.
0:07:38 > 0:07:42- You haven't had a young 'un in the car have you, mate?- No.
0:07:42 > 0:07:47With that worry over, Darren can now concentrate on Mr Singh.
0:07:47 > 0:07:49Is it Archie, did you say?
0:07:49 > 0:07:50Harjit.
0:07:50 > 0:07:54Harjit. All right, mate, let's just have a look at your face, matey.
0:07:54 > 0:07:56All right, just put that back on.
0:07:56 > 0:08:01Have you got a big size four or five dressing?
0:08:01 > 0:08:04Well, at the moment, the fire service are trying to clear
0:08:04 > 0:08:08the area so they can get access to him and extricate him from the vehicle.
0:08:08 > 0:08:10Harjit has a 35cm cut
0:08:10 > 0:08:13that runs across his head and down onto his face.
0:08:13 > 0:08:16He's lost a lot of blood.
0:08:16 > 0:08:18It's just oxygen that,
0:08:18 > 0:08:21all right? Just to help you clear your head a little bit.
0:08:21 > 0:08:24- Can you remember everything that's happened to you? No?- No.
0:08:24 > 0:08:28- Have you got any pain anywhere else other than your head? - My shoulder, mate.
0:08:28 > 0:08:31- Your shoulder's hurting. What about your legs?- I'm fine...
0:08:31 > 0:08:34- Right. No pain in your back? - No, no.
0:08:34 > 0:08:37- No pain in your shins at all? - No.- Are you sure?
0:08:37 > 0:08:42I think if he's been in a normal family car, he'd be probably dead
0:08:42 > 0:08:45you know. So far he's got a head injury,
0:08:45 > 0:08:47he's still conscious and talking to us,
0:08:47 > 0:08:51he seems to have a shoulder injury and possibly some issues with his breathing.
0:08:51 > 0:08:55Right, that's coming off. I need to readjust myself a bit.
0:08:55 > 0:08:59As a former miner, Darren's used to working in tight spaces,
0:08:59 > 0:09:06but he's a big lad and getting around a crushed car to treat a patient isn't easy.
0:09:06 > 0:09:09At least fellow paramedic Al is nearby to lend his support.
0:09:09 > 0:09:13He's wrapped up in there. He's doing very well, actually.
0:09:13 > 0:09:18This pain you've got, matey, on a scale of one to ten, what is it?
0:09:18 > 0:09:19- If ten's the worst...?- Seven.
0:09:19 > 0:09:24About a seven. It's your shoulder that's hurting you?
0:09:24 > 0:09:28- I've got some morphine in my pocket. - Now, then...
0:09:28 > 0:09:31Right, what we've got, because we need to start...
0:09:31 > 0:09:33- taking your roof off and stuff... - Yeah.
0:09:33 > 0:09:36- There's going to be a big shake. - OK.
0:09:36 > 0:09:38We're going to put that over you to cover you basically.
0:09:38 > 0:09:41- There's a window in it so you can see what's going on. - OK, mate.
0:09:41 > 0:09:45There's be somebody talking to you all the time to let you know exactly what's happening.
0:09:45 > 0:09:47The man who's going to do the talking is Darren,
0:09:47 > 0:09:50who has decided to stay with Harjit.
0:09:50 > 0:09:55Right, Harjit, what we're going to do now, mate, is we're going to take this roof off, right?
0:09:55 > 0:09:57I'm going to stay with you all the time.
0:09:57 > 0:09:59One of us will be with you and we won't leave you.
0:09:59 > 0:10:02All right? And we'll get you out of here then.
0:10:02 > 0:10:07Dazza's just at the moment just holding his head, making sure
0:10:07 > 0:10:10if he's got any possibility of a neck injury,
0:10:10 > 0:10:14he's keeping everything nice and stable and just keeping talking to him,
0:10:14 > 0:10:19because it can be quite frightening - you're under there under a sheet, and your car's
0:10:19 > 0:10:22being ripped to pieces around you by the fire brigade.
0:10:22 > 0:10:27You know, you can hear creaking and smashing and metal being cut
0:10:27 > 0:10:28and all sorts of noises.
0:10:28 > 0:10:31When you're already a bit disorientated from having been
0:10:31 > 0:10:34in a crash, it can be quite a frightening experience.
0:10:34 > 0:10:38Make sure you don't hit owt squishy, firefighter, won't you?
0:10:40 > 0:10:42Because it will be me.
0:10:45 > 0:10:49Coming up, Darren and his patient take cover
0:10:49 > 0:10:51as firefighters start cutting.
0:10:51 > 0:10:55I think you need a new car, buddy.
0:10:55 > 0:10:57A teenager's chances of survival
0:10:57 > 0:11:01are slim, but two doctors are determined to beat the odds.
0:11:01 > 0:11:04He has sustained a very serious injury to his head
0:11:04 > 0:11:06and he's deeply unconscious.
0:11:06 > 0:11:11And a man in danger of dying of cold on a summer's day.
0:11:15 > 0:11:19Everyone takes safety pretty seriously these days.
0:11:19 > 0:11:23Never mind steel toe-capped boots or high-vis vests - some firms
0:11:23 > 0:11:27even insist on a risk assessment just to use a desk.
0:11:27 > 0:11:32But no matter what you do, nothing can be made entirely safe.
0:11:35 > 0:11:38It's summer in Yorkshire and it's playtime for the county's
0:11:38 > 0:11:42half a million youngsters, but in a village near Barnsley, a mischievous
0:11:42 > 0:11:4711-year-old has taken a tumble from the top of this playhouse.
0:11:47 > 0:11:51It could be that a child perhaps took a bang on the head
0:11:51 > 0:11:54and had a moment's loss of consciousness.
0:11:54 > 0:11:57Helimed 98 is on the way.
0:11:57 > 0:11:59Five miles out. 3,000 feet.
0:11:59 > 0:12:01Houses to our left.
0:12:01 > 0:12:05The town to our right. And it should be on the nose.
0:12:05 > 0:12:09Paramedics Pete Vallance and James Vine know Keal Dimmock has fallen
0:12:09 > 0:12:14on his head, and that's serious, especially for a child.
0:12:14 > 0:12:16Hello, how are you today?
0:12:16 > 0:12:17Keal's mum Michelle is frantic.
0:12:17 > 0:12:20She saw it happen.
0:12:20 > 0:12:25He were just on top there, I come past in the car, and he were on top of what they call the birdcage.
0:12:25 > 0:12:27And I pulled up, peeped at him to get his attention, to tell him
0:12:27 > 0:12:30to get down and as he saw me, knew he shouldn't have been up there,
0:12:30 > 0:12:35and he tried to slide down and he just slid, he collapsed on...he fell and hit his...
0:12:35 > 0:12:38I think it were the left-hand side of his head and his arm, and his friend just shouted,
0:12:38 > 0:12:40"He's not breathing, he's not breathing."
0:12:40 > 0:12:43He was unconscious when I got to him. Just unconscious.
0:12:43 > 0:12:47Keal's condition seems stable and most of the friends who saw him fall
0:12:47 > 0:12:51think his injuries are minor, but Pete and James know better.
0:12:51 > 0:12:55- Can you lift this left arm for me, Keal? - Can you lift your left arm?
0:12:55 > 0:13:01- I want to go to sleep!- Good lad. - You want to go to sleep?- Ah... - Tell me what hurt then.
0:13:01 > 0:13:03What hurt then, darling?
0:13:03 > 0:13:07As well as having medical skills, medics must be good actors.
0:13:07 > 0:13:09The Helimed team knows Keal's symptoms are potentially
0:13:09 > 0:13:14life-threatening, but they can't let him or his mum know that.
0:13:14 > 0:13:16How old is he, Mum?
0:13:16 > 0:13:18- He's 11.- He's 11.
0:13:18 > 0:13:21Yeah, Lee, he's an 11-year-old male,
0:13:21 > 0:13:26fallen approximately ten foot off a bandstand onto his head.
0:13:26 > 0:13:30LOC approximately five minutes, witnessed by Mum.
0:13:30 > 0:13:33- You'll come with us?- Oh, yeah.
0:13:33 > 0:13:35What's his name again?
0:13:35 > 0:13:38It's Keal. It's all right, darling.
0:13:38 > 0:13:41All right, mate, open your eyes.
0:13:41 > 0:13:45Doctors at Sheffield's Children's Hospital are on standby.
0:13:45 > 0:13:48Keal will be flown direct to their emergency unit.
0:13:48 > 0:13:51- Where's it hurting, Keal, is it that brace?- Yeah...
0:13:51 > 0:13:55Yeah. Is it very, very bad?
0:13:55 > 0:13:57HE CRIES
0:13:57 > 0:14:03Keal... ..Well, put it this way, when he broke his arm, he never cried. In two places.
0:14:03 > 0:14:04Tough lad, is he?
0:14:04 > 0:14:09Unlike adults, children can deteriorate very quickly with few symptoms.
0:14:09 > 0:14:12Keal's sleepiness is worrying.
0:14:12 > 0:14:14It can be the sign of a major brain injury.
0:14:14 > 0:14:18Stick your tongue out for me again, Keal.
0:14:18 > 0:14:19Pop your tongue out.
0:14:21 > 0:14:25The arrival of Helimed 98 has caused a stir in the village.
0:14:25 > 0:14:27Hear that helicopter come in to land?
0:14:27 > 0:14:29Did you hear it?
0:14:29 > 0:14:30Keal?
0:14:30 > 0:14:34- No.- You didn't hear it? - No.- I did.- I think everybody else did as well!
0:14:34 > 0:14:37The village has come to have a look at it.
0:14:37 > 0:14:40Michelle will be travelling to hospital with her son.
0:14:40 > 0:14:44The presence of Mum can help calm younger patients,
0:14:44 > 0:14:47but Keal seems unaware of what's going on.
0:14:47 > 0:14:52Keal, are you all right, pal?
0:14:52 > 0:14:55Keep your eyes open for me.
0:14:55 > 0:14:57That's a good lad.
0:14:57 > 0:15:01It's a six-minute flight to the Children's Hospital,
0:15:01 > 0:15:04but longer than Pete and James would like.
0:15:04 > 0:15:09As the team prepare to land, Keal suffers a seizure and lapses into unconsciousness.
0:15:09 > 0:15:13- Just going to land opposite the hospital, and the doctors come out and meet us.- Oh, right.
0:15:13 > 0:15:17We'll get him on a trolley and get him into Accident and Emergency.
0:15:17 > 0:15:21- Now we're going to go into the area where they assess them straightaway.- Yeah.
0:15:21 > 0:15:24- There's going to be an awful lot of doctors and nurses.- Yeah.
0:15:24 > 0:15:25It's nothing to worry about.
0:15:25 > 0:15:29This has become a race to save their patient.
0:15:29 > 0:15:31Keal. Keal.
0:15:34 > 0:15:37- Hiya, chaps, how are we doing? - Hiya.
0:15:37 > 0:15:41'He dropped his conscious level and then had a large vomit
0:15:41 > 0:15:45'and then what we're thinking is probably a seizure,
0:15:45 > 0:15:47'which is sometimes normal with children with head injuries,'
0:15:47 > 0:15:52but obviously it tends to suggest that there might be
0:15:52 > 0:15:55a problem inside his head and that's what they're all looking
0:15:55 > 0:15:58for at the moment. His scans... he's been scanned down at hospital.
0:15:58 > 0:16:01But Keal had a surprise for his friends in the village
0:16:01 > 0:16:03of South Hiendley.
0:16:03 > 0:16:06After a week in hospital, he improved enough to come home,
0:16:06 > 0:16:10despite a head injury that could have been much more serious.
0:16:12 > 0:16:16I have actually been up there before, but I just jumped,
0:16:16 > 0:16:18but that time I just dangled and then fell.
0:16:18 > 0:16:21I weren't really thinking.
0:16:21 > 0:16:25He's not been allowed to play out, because obviously the neurosurgeon said it's going to take some healing,
0:16:25 > 0:16:28so he's obviously had a few weeks off school.
0:16:28 > 0:16:30He went back, but he's not allowed to play out,
0:16:30 > 0:16:33he's not allowed, he's supposed to be resting, basically.
0:16:33 > 0:16:36Can only have a few hours of PS3 a day, can't ya?
0:16:36 > 0:16:39Which he's not happy about! Took him for a CT scan,
0:16:39 > 0:16:43and it showed up a brain injury, but he survived, so we had loads
0:16:43 > 0:16:45of luck that day, definitely.
0:16:49 > 0:16:54Coming up, the fight to free a motorist trapped in his four-by-four reaches its climax.
0:16:54 > 0:16:59It's a good job you were in summat this big, else you would have been toast.
0:16:59 > 0:17:04And the man rescued from a whirlpool who now needs heat to stay alive.
0:17:09 > 0:17:13Now let's get back to the case of 13-year-old Calum, the teenager
0:17:13 > 0:17:14who's fighting for his life
0:17:14 > 0:17:18after a road accident near his home in West Yorkshire.
0:17:20 > 0:17:23It's a warm summer evening, but no-one on this street
0:17:23 > 0:17:26in Huddersfield in West Yorkshire is enjoying the weather.
0:17:26 > 0:17:2913-year-old Calum Parkinson has collided with a car as he crossed
0:17:29 > 0:17:31the road outside his house.
0:17:31 > 0:17:34Flying medics from Helimed 99 have arrived quickly,
0:17:34 > 0:17:37but Calum's head has hit the road so hard
0:17:37 > 0:17:39the team think he's fractured the base of his skull.
0:17:39 > 0:17:43This young boy has sustained quite a substantial head injury.
0:17:43 > 0:17:46Simon's just preparing now just to pop him to sleep and pop a tube
0:17:46 > 0:17:49in to control his breathing and keep his airway nice and clear.
0:17:49 > 0:17:53I'm just trying to organise now, just transportation to LGI,
0:17:53 > 0:17:58cos we'll need an ambulance at that end just to get us down to Casualty as well.
0:17:58 > 0:18:04Calum's a popular young man. A keen sportsman, he's in the local rugby team and loves going scuba diving.
0:18:04 > 0:18:07The street is packed with friends and family who've come out
0:18:07 > 0:18:10to see if they can help. Amongst them are Calum's mum and dad.
0:18:10 > 0:18:14Calum, you've got to relax, son. Come on.
0:18:14 > 0:18:19Calum, Calum, calm down, just relax, come on.
0:18:19 > 0:18:24But this man could be vital in the battle to save Calum's life.
0:18:24 > 0:18:27Dr Jez Pinnell is a consultant anaesthetist
0:18:27 > 0:18:29who flies with the Helimed team.
0:18:29 > 0:18:33He also happens to live nearby and has come to protect Calum's
0:18:33 > 0:18:38brain from the damage that often follows a road accident like this.
0:18:38 > 0:18:42- Normally he's a rugby player, healthy young lad.- Yeah.
0:18:42 > 0:18:44Runs, cycles, everything.
0:18:44 > 0:18:47One of the healthiest young lads you could ever hope to meet.
0:18:47 > 0:18:50Dr Jez is just in time.
0:18:50 > 0:18:54There's a high risk that Calum will stop breathing at any moment.
0:18:54 > 0:18:59Jez specialises in anaesthetics and will now take over putting Calum
0:18:59 > 0:19:01to sleep outside his own front door.
0:19:01 > 0:19:05There's a crew already at secondary, and I've spoken to LGI itself.
0:19:05 > 0:19:09This is the critical moment.
0:19:09 > 0:19:12A chemistry set of drugs will stop Calum's breathing.
0:19:12 > 0:19:16Dr Jez then just has a few seconds to open his airway and insert a tube,
0:19:16 > 0:19:21which allows the team to breathe for him.
0:19:21 > 0:19:24He's a 12-year-old and he's being intubated by the doctor on scene at present.
0:19:24 > 0:19:28He's a road traffic knock-down, obviously GCS3.
0:19:28 > 0:19:32I'll ring through to LGI and let them know we're coming there -
0:19:32 > 0:19:34if you can just organise a crew, like I said, for 30 minutes.
0:19:34 > 0:19:41Jez would not perform this sort of high-risk intervention at the roadside unless it was vital.
0:19:41 > 0:19:44Now hooked up to the monitoring equipment,
0:19:44 > 0:19:48it's clear the procedure's been a success. By squeezing the bag,
0:19:48 > 0:19:51Jez is performing the same action as Calum's lungs.
0:19:51 > 0:19:57Yeah. Simon's going to give 'em an ETA for us going in of about 30.
0:19:57 > 0:20:01We'll be 10 getting him settled and then 15 in, won't we?
0:20:01 > 0:20:06Road accidents are the biggest cause of death in children under 15.
0:20:06 > 0:20:10Last year nearly 4,000 children were killed or seriously injured,
0:20:10 > 0:20:13but many of those youngsters will not have received such expert treatment.
0:20:13 > 0:20:17I think his chances at the moment probably are not very good.
0:20:17 > 0:20:21I think he's unlikely to survive and if he does,
0:20:21 > 0:20:25he could well survive with significant disabilities.
0:20:25 > 0:20:29Yeah, you're all clear here.
0:20:29 > 0:20:30All clear, Pete.
0:20:30 > 0:20:36Neurosurgeons at the Leeds General Infirmary are waiting for Helimed 99's arrival.
0:20:36 > 0:20:39As the team leave Calum's familiar surroundings behind,
0:20:39 > 0:20:41no-one knows whether he'll see them again.
0:20:47 > 0:20:52Coming up, Calum survives to reach hospital, but how will his head injury affect him?
0:20:52 > 0:20:56The signs at the scene now are not very good.
0:20:56 > 0:21:00And a rope swing lands a day-tripper in a lot of pain.
0:21:01 > 0:21:03HE GROANS
0:21:08 > 0:21:11Now, putting three tons of helicopter down in an urban area
0:21:11 > 0:21:15is never going to be easy, but the Helimed team's pilots
0:21:15 > 0:21:18usually find somewhere to land.
0:21:18 > 0:21:22Today Helimed 99 pilot Steve Cobb has managed to find a landing pad
0:21:22 > 0:21:26right next to one of the busiest urban motorways in West Yorkshire,
0:21:26 > 0:21:29and it's just as well for the team's badly injured patient.
0:21:29 > 0:21:32He's come off the motorway,
0:21:32 > 0:21:36through this field, somersaulted over this fence and hit that tree
0:21:36 > 0:21:38and he's now trapped in the vehicle.
0:21:38 > 0:21:43Harjit Singh's been lucky to survive a high-speed crash on the M62 motorway.
0:21:43 > 0:21:47He's trapped in the wreckage of his four-wheel-drive car with serious injuries.
0:21:47 > 0:21:50I'm just going to pop this glass on the side - are you, OK?
0:21:50 > 0:21:51All right.
0:21:51 > 0:21:54There's going to be a loud bang, mate.
0:21:54 > 0:21:56Thank you.
0:21:56 > 0:22:00Now Harjit and flying paramedic Darren Axe must wait as firefighters
0:22:00 > 0:22:03cut his car apart to free him.
0:22:03 > 0:22:06WHIRRING
0:22:06 > 0:22:09Darren and his patient are covered by a safety blanket
0:22:09 > 0:22:13and can't see much, but they can hear what's going on.
0:22:15 > 0:22:17Darren's a former miner,
0:22:17 > 0:22:21well-used to confined spaces, and he knows this is a risky situation.
0:22:21 > 0:22:24Falling trees, debris from cutting equipment and fire
0:22:24 > 0:22:31are all potential hazards, but keeping Harjit cheerful is part of his job.
0:22:31 > 0:22:33Just relax, mate, it's nowt to worry about.
0:22:33 > 0:22:38We're just going to turn your car into a convertible for you(!) Did you want a convertible?
0:22:38 > 0:22:41Yeah, why not?!
0:22:41 > 0:22:48Darren's a car nut with a high-powered Nissan sports car on his drive. He feels for Harjit.
0:22:48 > 0:22:51I think you need a new car, buddy.
0:22:51 > 0:22:57It's a good job you were in summat this big, else you would have been toast.
0:22:58 > 0:23:02Harjit has a bad head wound, his shoulder hurts and he could
0:23:02 > 0:23:06have a serious back injury, but his car's in worse shape.
0:23:06 > 0:23:10Firefighters are slowly taking apart Harjit's Toyota Land Cruiser.
0:23:10 > 0:23:13Its strength probably saved his life,
0:23:13 > 0:23:18but now its steel construction is making hard work for his rescuers.
0:23:18 > 0:23:21Sound job, mate, sound.
0:23:21 > 0:23:23At last they're ready to move their patient.
0:23:23 > 0:23:25- Are you ready then, lads? - Yeah, I'm ready.
0:23:25 > 0:23:29As he comes up, we're going to have to angle it a bit more. OK.
0:23:29 > 0:23:32- Ready?- Yes.- Your call.
0:23:33 > 0:23:34Ready, steady...
0:23:34 > 0:23:36OK.
0:23:36 > 0:23:39Keep your arm in, Harjit.
0:23:39 > 0:23:44We've had to create a path up to the field at the back where the helicopter is,
0:23:44 > 0:23:48so once we're out, then it's just a case of carrying him
0:23:48 > 0:23:51up onto the helicopter and then away to a hospital.
0:23:51 > 0:23:55Harjit's not a small man and he takes a lot of lifting,
0:23:55 > 0:23:59but the fire service know how to make light work of jobs like this.
0:23:59 > 0:24:02Bring him feet first and keep him nice and high until he's right here.
0:24:02 > 0:24:06Once their patient's inside the chopper, the team have all their
0:24:06 > 0:24:08medical kit at arm's reach.
0:24:08 > 0:24:13But for Darren there's another reason for relief this job's nearly over.
0:24:13 > 0:24:16It were a bit awkward, but sometimes you've just
0:24:16 > 0:24:20got to be prepared to put yourself in that position, and I'm sure anyone
0:24:20 > 0:24:23of us that were there would have done exactly the same,
0:24:23 > 0:24:26so you've got to do what's right for the patient at end of the day.
0:24:26 > 0:24:29Sometimes it's not always textbook,
0:24:29 > 0:24:33but you've got a casualty to retrieve and you need to get on with it.
0:24:33 > 0:24:36A trauma team are already waiting at Leeds General Infirmary.
0:24:36 > 0:24:39It's less than 15 minutes since Harjit was freed from his car -
0:24:39 > 0:24:45now he's about to get the medical treatment he desperately needs.
0:24:45 > 0:24:47Hello.
0:24:47 > 0:24:51He's got quite a nasty head injury, it's quite a big open
0:24:51 > 0:24:53wound to his head, and head injuries are always a concern,
0:24:53 > 0:24:57especially when you've been unconscious, and this gentleman was knocked out initially.
0:24:57 > 0:25:00So that's always a cause of concern.
0:25:00 > 0:25:02He's also got some injuries to his right side.
0:25:02 > 0:25:04His shoulder looks to be quite badly
0:25:04 > 0:25:07damaged and also possibly some right-side chest injuries.
0:25:07 > 0:25:10As Al feared, Harjit had broken his shoulder.
0:25:10 > 0:25:15He also has a back injury that will require steel pins. By the time
0:25:15 > 0:25:20he's released from hospital, he'll have had three separate operations.
0:25:24 > 0:25:25Coming up,
0:25:25 > 0:25:2913-year-old Calum's family wait for news on their son's condition.
0:25:29 > 0:25:33I could straightaway see that it was serious, cos I saw the blood from his nose,
0:25:33 > 0:25:36blood from his ears, he was frothing at the mouth.
0:25:40 > 0:25:44You're never far from water in Yorkshire and if, like me, you love
0:25:44 > 0:25:49canoeing, then the river is a great place to get out and enjoy yourself.
0:25:49 > 0:25:54But for an unlucky few, a lack of experience
0:25:54 > 0:25:59and a bit of sheer bad luck poses a lethal combination.
0:26:02 > 0:26:04Water created the Yorkshire Dales.
0:26:04 > 0:26:09Over millions of years, it carved these valleys out of solid limestone.
0:26:09 > 0:26:13It's a landscape big enough to lose a town in, never mind a helicopter,
0:26:13 > 0:26:17but sometimes visitors forget the power of nature.
0:26:17 > 0:26:22Today near Ingleton, a party has got into trouble canyoning,
0:26:22 > 0:26:25riding white water with little protection other than a lifejacket
0:26:25 > 0:26:27and helmet.
0:26:30 > 0:26:33It's not a hobby for paramedic Darren Axe.
0:26:33 > 0:26:36He prefers swimming in a heated pool.
0:26:36 > 0:26:40It's an unusual one, this one. We've been called out to
0:26:40 > 0:26:43Beezley Falls, just north of Ingleton.
0:26:43 > 0:26:46There's reports of a child in the water there who's unable
0:26:46 > 0:26:48to make it back to the bank.
0:26:48 > 0:26:52Cave rescue have been deployed to it as well, so we're going to go up there
0:26:52 > 0:26:57and see what we can do to assist them. Hopefully the water's not too deep.
0:26:57 > 0:26:59This is a difficult rescue.
0:26:59 > 0:27:01Volunteers from the local cave rescue team
0:27:01 > 0:27:06are battling to save two men who became trapped in a whirlpool.
0:27:06 > 0:27:09- Down here at three o'clock, gentlemen.- Yeah.
0:27:09 > 0:27:14They've been in the water for nearly an hour, and now one is seriously ill with hypothermia.
0:27:14 > 0:27:18It's quite a torrent, quite vigorous. Glad I'M not in it.
0:27:18 > 0:27:23But they're still trapped out of sight on a rocky ledge inches above the water.
0:27:23 > 0:27:28There's one of these lads that's in quite a bad way, so he's probably the one for us.
0:27:28 > 0:27:32So that'll be the one we take.
0:27:32 > 0:27:35Paramedic Al Day is used to this kind of incident.
0:27:35 > 0:27:38He's a member of his local mountain rescue team,
0:27:38 > 0:27:42but all he and Darren can do is wait until their patient is brought up the steep bank.
0:27:42 > 0:27:45It's too dangerous to venture down to the water.
0:27:45 > 0:27:50Patients with hypothermia deteriorate very quickly, so the priority is get
0:27:50 > 0:27:54him up to the top, get him warmed up and get him off to hospital.
0:27:54 > 0:27:58Finally the man is hauled up to the medical team.
0:27:58 > 0:28:02His body temperature is dangerously low - his soaking wet
0:28:02 > 0:28:05clothes and a Pennine wind are making things even worse.
0:28:05 > 0:28:08His life is in real danger.
0:28:08 > 0:28:11- Open your eyes, chief. Where's that oxygen we asked to be put on him? - It's here.
0:28:11 > 0:28:14It's here, mate, it's down here.
0:28:14 > 0:28:18The Helimed team have an unusual treatment for extreme cold.
0:28:18 > 0:28:20Yeah. Fingers. Fingers. Fingers.
0:28:20 > 0:28:23It's called the pizza bag -
0:28:23 > 0:28:27a thickly insulated sleeping bag that quickly warms the body...
0:28:27 > 0:28:29- Can we not just pick him up and just go?- Yes.
0:28:29 > 0:28:31..and instantly turns into a stretcher.
0:28:33 > 0:28:36The man's vital signs are dropping.
0:28:36 > 0:28:39His core temperature has plunged to just 30 degrees.
0:28:39 > 0:28:4437 is normal, and a drop of 2 degrees can do harm.
0:28:44 > 0:28:46Hey up, mate, open your eyes.
0:28:46 > 0:28:49He'll be warmed from the inside as well - the team are dripping warm
0:28:49 > 0:28:52fluid directly into his bloodstream.
0:28:52 > 0:28:56We're taking this casualty to Lancaster - it's about
0:28:56 > 0:28:58seven minutes flying time, it's the closest hospital
0:28:58 > 0:29:00for us, so that's best for him. He's quite hypothermic
0:29:00 > 0:29:03and we need to get him warmed up and move quickly.
0:29:03 > 0:29:05There's nothing more Darren and Al can do.
0:29:05 > 0:29:10Temperature levels of the body are more critical than people appreciate,
0:29:10 > 0:29:12and a 6-degree shift is enough
0:29:12 > 0:29:16to make you unconscious, and you'll go into a coma and you may not recover.
0:29:16 > 0:29:19He needs to be in a resus department
0:29:19 > 0:29:24where they'll have specialist equipment to reheat him at a set speed,
0:29:24 > 0:29:27and the fastest way to get there is on this aircraft.
0:29:27 > 0:29:31The man was taken to hospital in Lancaster and recovered,
0:29:31 > 0:29:35but for the local cave rescue team, this was a close call
0:29:35 > 0:29:39and an example why rivers should be treated with greater respect.
0:29:39 > 0:29:42We're all for having adventures.
0:29:42 > 0:29:45What they'd neglected to find out was the local conditions
0:29:45 > 0:29:49and the fact that it had rained recently and the river was higher
0:29:49 > 0:29:50than they'd anticipated.
0:29:50 > 0:29:54Members of the public were able to initially throw some ropes out
0:29:54 > 0:29:59and improvise a rescue attempt to pull at least one of them to safety.
0:29:59 > 0:30:05If they'd been in a really isolated spot, those two could have drowned, there's no doubt about it.
0:30:05 > 0:30:08They couldn't get out of the current and their strength would have
0:30:08 > 0:30:10run out eventually, they'd have gone underwater.
0:30:12 > 0:30:16'Despite its dangers, water has an attraction few of us can resist.
0:30:16 > 0:30:20'In the Yorkshire Dales, a river view can add 20% to the value of a house,
0:30:20 > 0:30:25'and some of us like to do more than just look.'
0:30:25 > 0:30:26Looks gorgeous, doesn't it?
0:30:26 > 0:30:28But you've got to remember at the bottom of most rivers
0:30:28 > 0:30:34like this are rocks, and when you hit them, it hurts.
0:30:34 > 0:30:38The temperature's in the mid-80s, and the sun's beating down, so what better
0:30:38 > 0:30:41than a cooling dip in a local river?
0:30:41 > 0:30:43Now, that's exactly what 18-year-old Matthew Tighe
0:30:43 > 0:30:46and his mates thought when this happened.
0:30:49 > 0:30:52One of Matthew's friends is filming on his mobile phone.
0:30:52 > 0:30:55Matthew's fallen over ten feet
0:30:55 > 0:30:59and landed face down in part of the river that's only a few feet deep.
0:30:59 > 0:31:03He's unconscious, and if his friends don't get him out of the river soon,
0:31:03 > 0:31:04he'll drown.
0:31:04 > 0:31:08Yeah, Roger, possible head injury,
0:31:08 > 0:31:11banged his head on a rock in water.
0:31:11 > 0:31:15The mobile phone used to film Matthew's fall is now used
0:31:15 > 0:31:20to call 999 and trigger the emergency response, which includes Helimed 98.
0:31:20 > 0:31:25Like thousands of day-trippers, they're heading for the Yorkshire Dales.
0:31:25 > 0:31:27They'll be at Matthew's side in just ten minutes.
0:31:27 > 0:31:30We're just heading out to the waterfalls,
0:31:30 > 0:31:32just north of Settle, for somebody who's slipped
0:31:32 > 0:31:37on the rocks and banged their head, and I'm not too sure whether they've fallen
0:31:37 > 0:31:40into the waterfall or not, it's a possibility.
0:31:40 > 0:31:45There's over 100,000 miles of rivers meandering across the country and some of the most
0:31:45 > 0:31:50picturesque and powerful can be found in Yorkshire.
0:31:50 > 0:31:53They've been used for hundreds of years for fishing and boating,
0:31:53 > 0:31:56but these days there's a growing number of dare-devils who see rivers
0:31:56 > 0:31:58as a playground.
0:31:58 > 0:32:00It's a glorious sunny afternoon,
0:32:00 > 0:32:03so we've got a lot of people out walking up in the Dales.
0:32:03 > 0:32:08You know, we get quite a lot of calls in this area for walkers
0:32:08 > 0:32:13and people who fall - RTCs - so currently this is a normal job.
0:32:13 > 0:32:18Someone has apparently jumped into a...
0:32:18 > 0:32:20jumped on a rope swing and landed at the side of a wall,
0:32:20 > 0:32:25so we don't know the extent of the injuries.
0:32:25 > 0:32:27As Matthew's found out, using the river
0:32:27 > 0:32:30as a playground can be dangerous.
0:32:30 > 0:32:34Nearly 200 people die every year after accidents on our rivers.
0:32:34 > 0:32:36Can't see any waterfall.
0:32:36 > 0:32:40It's down there approximately three o'clock.
0:32:40 > 0:32:44I'll stick us down by the ambulance
0:32:44 > 0:32:47and then if we need to reposition, we can sort it out.
0:32:47 > 0:32:50The team have dropped in next to Stainforth Force,
0:32:50 > 0:32:54a well-known beauty spot a mile from the market town of Settle.
0:32:54 > 0:32:58Matthew's mates have dragged him out of the water and ground power medics
0:32:58 > 0:33:02have managed to move him to safety, but he's in a bad way.
0:33:02 > 0:33:06Try and relax, try and relax onto the board.
0:33:06 > 0:33:09Ah! Ah!
0:33:09 > 0:33:13He's broken his leg, lost many of his front teeth
0:33:13 > 0:33:17and could have caused some serious damage to his neck and spine.
0:33:17 > 0:33:21The narrow Dales roads are notorious, and today
0:33:21 > 0:33:24thousands of visitors will be clogging them up on their way home.
0:33:24 > 0:33:27Matthew needs hospital treatment quickly,
0:33:27 > 0:33:29and there's only one way he's going to get it.
0:33:29 > 0:33:32We'll go to Lancaster with him.
0:33:32 > 0:33:36On the landing... It's like that, so it's a nightmare.
0:33:36 > 0:33:40Shall we get him back in the helicopter and we'll do it all up there?
0:33:40 > 0:33:42Just get him out the way. ..Yeah, cheers, Bob.
0:33:42 > 0:33:45For the local ambulance crew, it's a familiar story.
0:33:45 > 0:33:49Hot days and rivers and things, we do get quite a lot at Ingleton
0:33:49 > 0:33:51with the waterfall walks and things which I'm sure
0:33:51 > 0:33:53you'll have been and seen before.
0:33:53 > 0:33:58We do go there on summer days when it's busy, just general tourists
0:33:58 > 0:34:01jumping in and enjoying the weather.
0:34:01 > 0:34:03But for the next few days,
0:34:03 > 0:34:07Matthew's going to be enjoying hospital food rather than the sunny weather.
0:34:07 > 0:34:09Hiya, mate. I'm Clare, one of the nurses.
0:34:09 > 0:34:11You're at Lancaster now, all right?
0:34:11 > 0:34:18A couple of weeks later, Matthew's hobbling around nursing a knee that's been broken in three places.
0:34:18 > 0:34:22It turns out he was never really that confident about taking
0:34:22 > 0:34:24on a waterfall with a rope swing.
0:34:24 > 0:34:27Everyone were having a go, so you do really - don't you? -
0:34:27 > 0:34:31think I'll have a go. I didn't think anything would happen to me.
0:34:31 > 0:34:32But at the start of the day,
0:34:32 > 0:34:34I said to everyone, I'm injury prone,
0:34:34 > 0:34:37something's going to happen today. And it did.
0:34:37 > 0:34:41And Matthew's grateful to one member of the Helimed 98 crew
0:34:41 > 0:34:44in particular, for looking after him once the worst had happened.
0:34:44 > 0:34:47The woman who were sitting with me, she were nice,
0:34:47 > 0:34:50because I was a bit nervous taking off, so she grabbed my hand
0:34:50 > 0:34:54and reassured me that I were going to be all right, because it's loud when you take off.
0:34:54 > 0:34:59And she kept turning to me nearly every minute saying, "Are you all right?"
0:34:59 > 0:35:02I were pretty nervous, because I didn't know what I'd done.
0:35:02 > 0:35:08Matthew says he's learned his lesson and his rope swinging days are over.
0:35:08 > 0:35:10On a hot day a dip in cool water
0:35:10 > 0:35:14can be hard to resist, especially for youngsters.
0:35:14 > 0:35:18But every year the Helimed team find themselves dealing with a tragedy
0:35:18 > 0:35:21that could so easily have been avoided.
0:35:23 > 0:35:26It's another hot day and in a flooded quarry in Derbyshire,
0:35:26 > 0:35:30a 15-year-old boy has vanished beneath the surface.
0:35:31 > 0:35:34His friends have tried desperately to find him
0:35:34 > 0:35:37but he's lost in the murky water.
0:35:37 > 0:35:40Helimed 98 is on its way.
0:35:40 > 0:35:43Believe that there's someone there possibly drowned
0:35:43 > 0:35:48and is possibly in cardiac arrest. The information is quite sketchy.
0:35:48 > 0:35:51Just do once more round the lake, see if you can see anything,
0:35:51 > 0:35:54because it looks like they're still looking for him, Tim.
0:35:54 > 0:35:57See if we can see any shadows in the water.
0:35:57 > 0:35:59But there's no sign of the teenager.
0:35:59 > 0:36:03After landing, paramedic James Vine races to the water.
0:36:03 > 0:36:05Have you got him out yet?
0:36:05 > 0:36:06Found him?
0:36:08 > 0:36:12Get yours coming over and see if you can see any shadows.
0:36:12 > 0:36:15The police helicopter continues the search from the air
0:36:15 > 0:36:18as James gets an update on the ground.
0:36:18 > 0:36:21- We've got a youth confirmed under the water...- Yeah.
0:36:21 > 0:36:24- He went in about 20 minutes ago. - OK.- Could be a little bit longer.
0:36:24 > 0:36:28- Yeah.- Didn't come up. Mates have been searching for him since.
0:36:28 > 0:36:30Medical kit is prepared in the hope
0:36:30 > 0:36:32that the teenager will be brought out alive.
0:36:32 > 0:36:35Helimed paramedic Pete Valance believes he has a chance.
0:36:35 > 0:36:38The fact that it's very cold water
0:36:38 > 0:36:40and he's a young chap of about 16 years old
0:36:40 > 0:36:44means that, you know, there is a chance
0:36:44 > 0:36:46even after all this time under water
0:36:46 > 0:36:49that he may be successfully resuscitated.
0:36:49 > 0:36:54But obviously the longer it takes the less chance there is of that being a success.
0:36:54 > 0:36:59When we come out, boys, we'll meet you at the edge with the spinal board.
0:36:59 > 0:37:02- We'll come out feet first, head down.- OK.
0:37:05 > 0:37:07Fire & Rescue take to the water.
0:37:07 > 0:37:10Visibility is poor so they use a thermal imaging camera
0:37:10 > 0:37:13to search for the missing boy's body heat.
0:37:16 > 0:37:19I think 60 minutes, we've got to be thinking...
0:37:19 > 0:37:21I don't know. How cold is it?
0:37:21 > 0:37:25But time's moving on and the boy's still missing.
0:37:25 > 0:37:29It's frustrating for James, who's worked as a lifeguard in the past.
0:37:29 > 0:37:32He'd like to get in the water, but it's too dangerous.
0:37:32 > 0:37:36It's tough for Pete, too, who has a son of his own
0:37:36 > 0:37:38the same age as the teenager.
0:37:38 > 0:37:40It's frustrating for everybody here.
0:37:40 > 0:37:43Obviously the fire service, the police were in attendance,
0:37:43 > 0:37:46as were the ambulance crews very early on in the incident.
0:37:46 > 0:37:49They weren't able to gain access to the water.
0:37:49 > 0:37:52His friends have been in there searching for him as well.
0:37:52 > 0:37:56They weren't able to locate him so yeah, it's a mixture of frustration
0:37:56 > 0:38:00and wanting to be able to give him a chance
0:38:00 > 0:38:03but unfortunately that's not occurred.
0:38:03 > 0:38:06More than an hour has passed since Helimed 98 landed
0:38:06 > 0:38:09and time has run out for the missing boy.
0:38:09 > 0:38:13Even if he's found now, it's too late for Pete and James to help.
0:38:16 > 0:38:20Now, let's hope we can reduce the number of accidents like that.
0:38:20 > 0:38:24Now, when we last saw 13-year-old Calum Parkinson
0:38:24 > 0:38:25he was deeply unconscious
0:38:25 > 0:38:29with serious head injuries after an accident near his home.
0:38:29 > 0:38:33Calum was knocked down by a car as he ran across the road.
0:38:33 > 0:38:37Now he's on his way to emergency surgery at Leeds General Infirmary,
0:38:37 > 0:38:3920 miles away.
0:38:39 > 0:38:41Keep clear of those wires behind the houses.
0:38:41 > 0:38:43OK, lovely, thanks.
0:38:43 > 0:38:46The team have put Calum to sleep at the roadside to ensure
0:38:46 > 0:38:48he survives the flight to hospital,
0:38:48 > 0:38:51but only a brain scan will reveal if he will make a full recovery.
0:38:53 > 0:38:57It maintains the patient's airway. So at the minute
0:38:57 > 0:39:00he's being ventilated,
0:39:00 > 0:39:03we're just monitoring his blood oxygen saturation levels,
0:39:03 > 0:39:06make sure he's getting enough oxygen.
0:39:06 > 0:39:10'Helimed 99 just lifting off from site down at Huddersfield
0:39:10 > 0:39:15'and routing direct to Woodhouse, the secondary landing site for the LGI.'
0:39:17 > 0:39:20Pilot Pete Barnes flew stunts for the Bond movie Die Another Day.
0:39:20 > 0:39:22But this drama is real
0:39:22 > 0:39:25and his flying skills are crucial to Calum's survival.
0:39:25 > 0:39:30Time's against him and the Leeds General Infirmary rooftop helipad
0:39:30 > 0:39:32is already closed for the night.
0:39:32 > 0:39:36The last leg of the trip must be by road.
0:39:36 > 0:39:41Just have a feel of his radial pulse for me, Tone, see what it feels like.
0:39:41 > 0:39:44It is weak.
0:39:44 > 0:39:47But as they land, Calum's condition deteriorates.
0:39:47 > 0:39:50They need to get him to hospital as fast as they can.
0:39:50 > 0:39:55His young body is struggling to cope with the build-up of pressure inside his brain.
0:39:59 > 0:40:02Paramedics are not usually short of a word or two,
0:40:02 > 0:40:06but the team know how serious this case is.
0:40:06 > 0:40:09Fortunately they are just moments away from handing Calum over
0:40:09 > 0:40:12to some of the country's leading brain injury experts.
0:40:12 > 0:40:15Head injuries vary so much.
0:40:15 > 0:40:19The fact that he's so unconscious now and the signs that we're seeing
0:40:19 > 0:40:22really shows that he's probably got a very severe head injury
0:40:22 > 0:40:26but until he's got to hospital, he's had a scan of his head,
0:40:26 > 0:40:28it's difficult to say.
0:40:28 > 0:40:31But certainly the signs that we're seeing now are not very good.
0:40:31 > 0:40:34For Calum's mum Christine, this is the start of a month
0:40:34 > 0:40:38in which she'll rarely leave Leeds General Infirmary.
0:40:38 > 0:40:42Calum undergoes emergency surgery to relieve the pressure on his brain.
0:40:42 > 0:40:44Two parts of his skull are removed.
0:40:44 > 0:40:48Well, when we first got the knock on the door I kind of thought,
0:40:48 > 0:40:49"No, this isn't right,"
0:40:49 > 0:40:52and then when I went out to the scene of the accident
0:40:52 > 0:40:57I could straight away see that it was serious because I saw the blood from his nose, the blood from his ears,
0:40:57 > 0:40:59he was frothing at the mouth and he was fitting.
0:40:59 > 0:41:03As soon as he arrived here he was straight into surgery
0:41:03 > 0:41:06and we just had to wait in the waiting room
0:41:06 > 0:41:10and I just remember we were just staring into space,
0:41:10 > 0:41:14we weren't talking and we didn't know if he was going to make it or not,
0:41:14 > 0:41:16so that was a really hard time for everybody.
0:41:16 > 0:41:19But finally Calum started to make progress.
0:41:19 > 0:41:23It's hard to know whether Calum will make a full recovery
0:41:23 > 0:41:26and he faces a long and gruelling time ahead.
0:41:26 > 0:41:28But the early signs are promising.
0:41:28 > 0:41:34He's started moving his left side quite good.
0:41:34 > 0:41:37His right side, his leg, has now started moving,
0:41:37 > 0:41:40but what I've noticed most is his personality.
0:41:40 > 0:41:45Um, it's like he's got his little cheeky ways, he smiles.
0:41:45 > 0:41:48One thing he does do, always before he used to touch one side of his face
0:41:48 > 0:41:54and then the other and he always used to say that he could never touch this side without touching this side
0:41:54 > 0:41:56and now we see him in the hospital getting better
0:41:56 > 0:41:58and he goes like this and then he goes like this,
0:41:58 > 0:42:01so that's really good, that's definitely Calum.
0:42:01 > 0:42:04Judging by the number of get well cards he's received,
0:42:04 > 0:42:06Calum will never be short of visitors.
0:42:06 > 0:42:10All his friends and family want to thank the medical team
0:42:10 > 0:42:13whose treatment at the roadside undoubtedly saved his life.
0:42:13 > 0:42:16Fantastic!
0:42:16 > 0:42:21When Helicopter Heroes comes back, the team fly to the rescue of a man
0:42:21 > 0:42:25who's fallen 60 feet then been crushed by his own quad bike.
0:42:25 > 0:42:28The pain's in his hips, we can't get his legs straight.
0:42:28 > 0:42:32A teenager's back is broken. Will he walk again?
0:42:32 > 0:42:36I was just saying to him, "I'm going to die, I'm going to die."
0:42:36 > 0:42:39This motorist shouldn't be moved
0:42:39 > 0:42:41but her car could be about to catch fire.
0:42:42 > 0:42:45And high in the hills a mountain biker has banged his head,
0:42:45 > 0:42:48but he's not lost his sense of humour.
0:42:48 > 0:42:50I feel like a new man, so does me wife.
0:42:59 > 0:43:02Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd