0:00:04 > 0:00:06If you're seriously ill or critically injured,
0:00:06 > 0:00:11every second counts, especially if you are up high or off the beaten track.
0:00:11 > 0:00:15But thanks to these guys, the people of the UK's biggest county
0:00:15 > 0:00:19are never more than 10 minutes away from a hospital.
0:00:19 > 0:00:23The Yorkshire Air Ambulance can do 150 miles an hour,
0:00:23 > 0:00:26and every day brings a new life-or-death emergency.
0:00:46 > 0:00:52Five million people depend on these yellow helicopters to bring life-saving care from the skies.
0:00:52 > 0:00:56When a multiple pile-up closes Britain's highest motorway
0:00:56 > 0:01:00or there's a serious accident on the shop floor, the highly trained paramedics
0:01:00 > 0:01:05and pilots of the Helimed team are there to rescue the casualties.
0:01:05 > 0:01:07Today on Helicopter Heroes -
0:01:07 > 0:01:12There is a serious farm accident and a nine-year-old boy is fighting for his life...
0:01:12 > 0:01:15He's climbed over it, swung on it and pulled it down like that.
0:01:15 > 0:01:20A Yorkshire horse whisperer is trampled by a bucking Bronco...
0:01:20 > 0:01:23His leg was up in the air and his head was on the floor.
0:01:23 > 0:01:28Helimed 99 lands on the lawn after a visitor runs over her friend...
0:01:28 > 0:01:31Who is holding my hand?
0:01:31 > 0:01:36And the team rescue a cyclist who came off at 60 miles an hour.
0:01:44 > 0:01:47A farm sounds like a great place to spend your childhood.
0:01:47 > 0:01:54For tens of thousands of kids, home is one giant playground with acres of space and loads of animals.
0:01:54 > 0:01:59But a modern farm is also a dangerous place.
0:02:00 > 0:02:06High up in the Yorkshire Dales, farming is a family business, especially in the lambing season.
0:02:06 > 0:02:09But on a farm near Settle, there has been a serious accident.
0:02:09 > 0:02:13Ambulance emergency, how old is the patient? Is it nine?
0:02:13 > 0:02:17OK, so they've obviously given us 301.
0:02:17 > 0:02:23He's been outside playing, a baling spike has fallen on his head, he's got cuts to his head.
0:02:23 > 0:02:25He's got head injury.
0:02:25 > 0:02:30The spike from this baling machine has hit four-year-old James Bradley on the head.
0:02:30 > 0:02:32He is badly injured.
0:02:32 > 0:02:37'A baling spike has fallen on his head, apparently. It doesn't sound good, does it, that?'
0:02:37 > 0:02:41- No, it doesn't. Is it a kiddie as well?- 'Oh, don't say that. Is it?'
0:02:41 > 0:02:44Local ground paramedics called in the Helimed team
0:02:44 > 0:02:48after finding little James showing symptoms of a brain injury.
0:02:48 > 0:02:52Obviously we are not familiar with what this machinery might entail,
0:02:52 > 0:02:55but normally with farm machinery there's quite some weight involved.
0:02:55 > 0:03:00The Bradley family's farm is a long way from specialist hospital care,
0:03:00 > 0:03:03at least an hour in any direction by road.
0:03:03 > 0:03:09There are hospitals dotted about, but obviously the one with the specialist sort of centres
0:03:09 > 0:03:13that will deal with major trauma are further afield,
0:03:13 > 0:03:15so that's when the air ambulance really comes
0:03:15 > 0:03:18into its own.
0:03:18 > 0:03:21Pilot Chris Atchell knows that in areas like this,
0:03:21 > 0:03:26his helicopter sometimes represents the only chance of survival for a critically injured patient.
0:03:26 > 0:03:29This is one of those days.
0:03:31 > 0:03:35- Nine year-old James...- Yeah. - Been playing in the barn.- Yeah.
0:03:35 > 0:03:39It's quite a tall machine and it's actually come forward,
0:03:39 > 0:03:41- toppled forward on to him.- Yeah.
0:03:41 > 0:03:46I think he's climbed over it, swung on it and pulled it down like that.
0:03:46 > 0:03:48Ah, right. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
0:03:48 > 0:03:51Ey up, mate. How are we doing?
0:03:51 > 0:03:54No loss of consciousness, no cervical pain, no back pain.
0:03:54 > 0:03:57He remembers everything that's gone on. His pupil is equal and reacting.
0:03:57 > 0:04:01The team know that James's brain is bruised and bleeding.
0:04:01 > 0:04:03Inside his skull, pressure is building.
0:04:03 > 0:04:06Unless it's released quickly, he will die.
0:04:06 > 0:04:09Hello, James. I'm a James as well.
0:04:09 > 0:04:12How are we doing?
0:04:12 > 0:04:15- How do you feel?- Fine.
0:04:15 > 0:04:18- Does anything else hurt apart from your head?- No.
0:04:18 > 0:04:20No. Do you remember what happened?
0:04:20 > 0:04:22You all right there, James?
0:04:22 > 0:04:24James, do you remember what happened?
0:04:25 > 0:04:28The bale spike fell on me.
0:04:28 > 0:04:30Did it? Oh, dear.
0:04:30 > 0:04:33There's no shortage of distractions at lambing time,
0:04:33 > 0:04:36and James was playing in the barn while his parehts tended the sheep.
0:04:36 > 0:04:39It was a freak accident.
0:04:39 > 0:04:42They were all down there doing the...
0:04:42 > 0:04:46I'm going to look where it was, I don't know.
0:04:46 > 0:04:51But they were all doing the sheep and lamb jobs, the children were with Mum and Dad.
0:04:51 > 0:04:56- James?- Yes?- It's really important I put a wee thing into your arm now.
0:04:56 > 0:05:01- It scratches a little bit to start with, but then it goes away straight away, OK?- Yeah.
0:05:01 > 0:05:02Sharp scratch.
0:05:02 > 0:05:04All done, I promise. All done.
0:05:04 > 0:05:07Good lad. Hey, I've never met someone so brave.
0:05:07 > 0:05:10- They make them hard up here, don't they?- Yeah.
0:05:11 > 0:05:14James is going to be sedated for the trip to hospital.
0:05:14 > 0:05:17His mum will go with him.
0:05:17 > 0:05:20James, we're going to lift you up on this board now.
0:05:20 > 0:05:23You just pop your arms there for me and keep them really still.
0:05:23 > 0:05:30James is still conscious, that's a good sign, but children with a brain injury can deteriorate quickly.
0:05:30 > 0:05:35His mum doesn't know it, but the team is extremely worried about his chances of survival.
0:05:35 > 0:05:38Right, James, see you soon.
0:05:42 > 0:05:48Coming up - James's mum joins him on the flight that could save her son's life.
0:05:48 > 0:05:50Doors secure, ready for take-off.
0:05:50 > 0:05:54A patient with a head injury presents Dr Jez with a challenge...
0:05:54 > 0:05:57I've had to give her a little bit of ketamine just to sedate her.
0:05:57 > 0:06:03And as rescues go, this is a damn sight more dramatic than most.
0:06:17 > 0:06:21Some people manage an entire career without ever being hurt,
0:06:21 > 0:06:25but when your job involves breaking in untamed horses for a living,
0:06:25 > 0:06:30perhaps you can expect that some day something may go wrong.
0:06:31 > 0:06:33Riding horses is a dangerous sport.
0:06:33 > 0:06:36Everyone who has climbed into a saddle knows that.
0:06:36 > 0:06:41But at these stables in North Yorkshire they specialise in the riskiest form of riding.
0:06:41 > 0:06:46Horse breaking is an ancient art, and Craig Chadwick is an expert.
0:06:46 > 0:06:48Every day he takes two-year-old horses,
0:06:48 > 0:06:55and with his riding partner Karen Nixon tries to tame them enough to get a saddle on their backs.
0:06:55 > 0:06:59Even thoroughbreds are born wild. This is a dangerous job.
0:06:59 > 0:07:03Like the horse whisperers of America, Craig and Karen use
0:07:03 > 0:07:10a combination of touch, persuasion and a little telepathy to prepare a half-tonne animal to be ridden.
0:07:10 > 0:07:13One wrong move can turn a gentle animal
0:07:13 > 0:07:18into a bucking bronco, and when that happens, someone usually gets hurt.
0:07:18 > 0:07:19Ambulance and emergency?
0:07:19 > 0:07:22The horse has just absolutely exploded.
0:07:22 > 0:07:24- He's got his leg caught in one of the reins.- Right.
0:07:24 > 0:07:27It started bucking and freaking out.
0:07:27 > 0:07:29- Right.- And he's got his leg stuck.
0:07:29 > 0:07:31Is he completely alert?
0:07:31 > 0:07:34No. Well, no, not really, he's a bad colour.
0:07:34 > 0:07:37- I'm going to go and get a blanket and something to put on his head.- Yeah.
0:07:37 > 0:07:42Immediately the call is passed to the team on Helimed 98.
0:07:42 > 0:07:46Helimed 98, that's the traffic away now across runway 32.
0:07:46 > 0:07:50It's paramedic Darren Axe's job to navigate to the scene.
0:07:50 > 0:07:55There are many farms in the same area and it won't be easy to find, even on a map.
0:07:55 > 0:07:57While we're in flight we use
0:07:57 > 0:08:00large aviation maps to get to the general area,
0:08:00 > 0:08:01and then we drop onto
0:08:01 > 0:08:03the Ordnance Survey ones.
0:08:03 > 0:08:05I've got you a better map.
0:08:05 > 0:08:10- You can see the racecourse on your right at Catterick Bridge?- Yeah.
0:08:10 > 0:08:14- No probs, mate. - I'll just chuck this through.
0:08:14 > 0:08:17Fellow trainers saw the accident but could only watch
0:08:17 > 0:08:20as Craig was dragged under the horse he was breaking in.
0:08:20 > 0:08:24Fence blowing away behind us, mate, I don't know where it's gone.
0:08:24 > 0:08:26You're clear at the back, Chris.
0:08:26 > 0:08:32This could be a dangerous landing, but the ground crew have made sure any loose horses have been put away.
0:08:32 > 0:08:34Now Kate is about to take over.
0:08:34 > 0:08:37Hiya, hon.
0:08:37 > 0:08:39This is Craig, he's 22.
0:08:39 > 0:08:43The horse dragged him by the stirrups for about 40 seconds.
0:08:43 > 0:08:45No loss of consciousness, there's no neck pain.
0:08:45 > 0:08:47So where's the pain, what is he...
0:08:47 > 0:08:50Central sternum and both sides of his chest, particularly his left.
0:08:50 > 0:08:54- OK.- But suddenly Craig's heart rate drops.
0:08:54 > 0:08:56It could mean that he's bleeding internally.
0:08:58 > 0:09:00All right, Craig?
0:09:00 > 0:09:01Craig?
0:09:01 > 0:09:02Talk to me, darling.
0:09:04 > 0:09:05Craig's going into shock.
0:09:05 > 0:09:09His skin is grey and clammy and his body starts shaking.
0:09:09 > 0:09:15His friends managed to pull him free from the horse but his chest and legs have been crushed and kicked.
0:09:15 > 0:09:19Craig's riding partner Karen has stayed by his side the whole time.
0:09:19 > 0:09:22She dialled 999 from her mobile phone.
0:09:22 > 0:09:27The horse started bucking and throwing a wobbler and he had his leg stuck in the stirrup
0:09:27 > 0:09:30and wrapped with the lines, the lunge lines.
0:09:30 > 0:09:34had to let go of the lines, but all the lines were wrapped round his leg.
0:09:34 > 0:09:37Luckily the horse stopped and we got him off,
0:09:37 > 0:09:41but his leg was up in the air and his head was on the floor,
0:09:41 > 0:09:44and it was...rodeo-ing
0:09:46 > 0:09:51Before the team move Craig, paramedic Kate needs to be sure they haven't missed any injuries.
0:09:51 > 0:09:55The pain in their patient's chest could be masking other symptoms.
0:09:55 > 0:09:58He said he's got tingling in his knees and he's got pain.
0:10:01 > 0:10:06Can you feel that, mate? Can you feel that? Yeah, right. Fair enough.
0:10:06 > 0:10:10They won't say it, but the paramedics know that the tingling in Craig's leg
0:10:10 > 0:10:15could be could be a warning sign his spine had been damaged as he was dragged along the ground.
0:10:20 > 0:10:25Coming up - a hospital crash team is on standby to examine Craig.
0:10:25 > 0:10:27- ETA?- Four minutes.
0:10:27 > 0:10:32Pilot Chris is at full throttle as the patient is showing signs of brain damage.
0:10:33 > 0:10:37The mountain biking accident that left its mark on a daredevil rider.
0:10:37 > 0:10:40- How are you doing?- A lot of pain.
0:10:40 > 0:10:42A lot of pain. Whereabouts, mate?
0:10:55 > 0:10:57Imagine hurting a friend.
0:10:57 > 0:11:01Can friendship survive serious injury caused by someone close to you?
0:11:01 > 0:11:05One day in West Yorkshire, two ladies found out the hard way.
0:11:07 > 0:11:10Leeds is the UK's second biggest financial city,
0:11:10 > 0:11:16which means house prices in some of the wealthiest suburbs rival those in the south-east
0:11:16 > 0:11:20with bank bonuses inflating the value of homes.
0:11:21 > 0:11:25Today Helimed 98 has been scrambled to Yorkshire's stockbroker belt.
0:11:25 > 0:11:28MESSAGE ON RADIO
0:11:29 > 0:11:33There has been a road accident in the well-heeled village of Bramhope.
0:11:35 > 0:11:39- Have you got visual? - I've got the response car.
0:11:39 > 0:11:44And for pilot Tim Taylor there is no shortage of large lawns to turn into a helipad.
0:11:47 > 0:11:51Barbara Marriott was leaving her home in a quiet cul-de-sac
0:11:51 > 0:11:55when she was knocked down by a car being reversed by another elderly lady.
0:11:58 > 0:12:02She is suffering from cerebral irritation,
0:12:02 > 0:12:04a classic symptom of a head injury.
0:12:04 > 0:12:09Just to give you heads up, this lady is going to go to LGI with a head injury.
0:12:09 > 0:12:11She's cereberally irritated.
0:12:11 > 0:12:13Who is holding me hand?
0:12:13 > 0:12:15Me.
0:12:15 > 0:12:18it turns out that the woman driving the car is a friend of Barbara's
0:12:18 > 0:12:21who lives in the same cul-de-sac.
0:12:22 > 0:12:26Not only has Jean Saville suffered a nasty bash on the head,
0:12:26 > 0:12:31she's also devastated that one of her closest friends is badly injured.
0:12:31 > 0:12:34We're still trying to establish exactly what has gone on
0:12:34 > 0:12:36so we can piece together the events of this morning
0:12:36 > 0:12:39and get answers for the families of those involved.
0:12:39 > 0:12:43She was behind the car, has fallen backwards and hit the back of her head.
0:12:43 > 0:12:46She was apparently not breathing for few minutes
0:12:46 > 0:12:48and had mouth to mouth...
0:12:48 > 0:12:51And then, obviously, she was breathing when we arrived
0:12:51 > 0:12:52and was extremely agitated.
0:12:52 > 0:12:54With clearly quite a bad head injury.
0:12:54 > 0:12:58- SHE MOANS - I can do on his finger here, OK, sweetheart.
0:12:58 > 0:13:01Agitated patients can be difficult to treat for any paramedic
0:13:01 > 0:13:04but they are impossible in the cramped cabin of a helicopter.
0:13:04 > 0:13:07Flying Doctor Jez Pinnell is an anaesthetist
0:13:07 > 0:13:11and he's going to put Barbara to sleep for the short flight to hospital.
0:13:11 > 0:13:15Head injuries are very hard to diagnose, only a scan will show
0:13:15 > 0:13:20how serious Barbara's injury really is, but her symptoms aren't good.
0:13:20 > 0:13:24I've had to give her a little bit of Ketamine just to sedate her really so we can manage her.
0:13:24 > 0:13:29She is obviously now sedated but we need to take over her breathing, control her airway.
0:13:30 > 0:13:33Medicine relies on his own ABC to safeguard patients.
0:13:33 > 0:13:37Airway, breathing and circulation.
0:13:37 > 0:13:42A tube carefully steered down Barbara's windpipe will look after the first
0:13:42 > 0:13:45while the crew will have to take over responsibility for the second.
0:13:45 > 0:13:52Barbara's friend needs a check-up herself but there is no doubting which patient is the most serious.
0:13:52 > 0:13:57She's nice and steady now. She is anaesthetised, we have controlled her airway,
0:13:57 > 0:14:00we're breathing for her so A and B is fine.
0:14:00 > 0:14:05She's nice and stable from a blood pressure point of view so she is much safer to transfer like this.
0:14:05 > 0:14:10We'll take her to LGI to get a CT scan and see where we go from there.
0:14:10 > 0:14:15Helimed 98 weighs three tonnes and its skids will leave deep marks in this lawn
0:14:15 > 0:14:20but the charity that runs the service receives few complaints.
0:14:20 > 0:14:25Even the keenest gardeners seem to think it is a price worth paying for the air ambulance service.
0:14:28 > 0:14:34In less than five minutes, doctors will be subjecting Barbara to a series of tests and scans
0:14:34 > 0:14:38to determine whether the accident has caused permanent damage to her brain
0:14:38 > 0:14:43or whether like many victims of cerebral irritation, she will recover completely in time.
0:14:45 > 0:14:48For several days, Barbara was kept in an artificial coma
0:14:48 > 0:14:53to allow her brain to recover, but within weeks she was up and on her way home.
0:14:53 > 0:14:58And today the two friends are reunited but Jean is arriving on foot.
0:14:58 > 0:15:03It is the first time the ladies have got together to piece together what happened on the day of the accident.
0:15:03 > 0:15:06I took a real chunk out of it, then.
0:15:06 > 0:15:11It's even got a bit of your reversing light.
0:15:11 > 0:15:16The tree in Barbara's garden also bears the scars of the accident.
0:15:16 > 0:15:19- Quite a day it was.- It certainly was.
0:15:19 > 0:15:20I don't want another day like that.
0:15:20 > 0:15:24- It didn't spoil our friendship, that is what matters.- You're quite right.
0:15:24 > 0:15:26With the memory of the trauma behind them,
0:15:26 > 0:15:32the two ladies are getting back into the swing of things, making a batch of Barbara's legendary lemon curd.
0:15:32 > 0:15:35One thing I do remember was...
0:15:35 > 0:15:42- coming round and everybody was fussing round me and I can't stand people crowding me.- No.
0:15:42 > 0:15:45And I looked up to see where Jean was and she was sat
0:15:45 > 0:15:51in her car and the car was right up against the tree and she was just...
0:15:51 > 0:15:54There was a lovely big egg on my head.
0:15:54 > 0:15:58And you could see it, watch it coming up.
0:15:58 > 0:16:01It was about half the size of that lemon.
0:16:01 > 0:16:06Both women suffered head injuries in the accident, which has led to some confusion...
0:16:06 > 0:16:11They think my foot slipped off and once it's in gear, it goes.
0:16:11 > 0:16:13And they think my foot slipped,
0:16:13 > 0:16:15and didn't hit the brake, you see.
0:16:15 > 0:16:19- That's the only thing they can think of.- I thought it had slipped off the brake and hit the accelerator.
0:16:19 > 0:16:23- Well, it might have down, yes. - It is just one of those things.- Yes.
0:16:23 > 0:16:26Barbara sells her home-made jams and pickles and to raise money
0:16:26 > 0:16:31for local charities, including the Yorkshire air ambulance.
0:16:31 > 0:16:36She is grateful for all that the medics did for her that day and is determined to repay them
0:16:36 > 0:16:38and thank one of the men who came to her rescue.
0:16:38 > 0:16:40Paramedic Paul Bradbury.
0:16:40 > 0:16:42How are you?
0:16:42 > 0:16:47- A lot better than last time you saw me.- You're looking a lot better as well.
0:16:47 > 0:16:50- Can you feel it?- Oh yes...
0:16:50 > 0:16:52Words haven't been invented.
0:16:52 > 0:16:56Thank you is such an inadequate word. But...
0:16:56 > 0:16:59it is thank you, thank you, thank you and thank you again.
0:16:59 > 0:17:04It is a wonderful chance to say thank you to these people
0:17:04 > 0:17:07because if they weren't here, I might not be here.
0:17:07 > 0:17:11It's as stark as that.
0:17:14 > 0:17:17Coming up - the horse breaker has been lucky to survive.
0:17:17 > 0:17:19But how serious are his injuries?
0:17:19 > 0:17:22The horse stopped or it could have been fatal.
0:17:22 > 0:17:26And the team is called to the Peak District to rescue an injured cyclist.
0:17:32 > 0:17:35Let's catch upon the case of James - the nine year-old farm boy
0:17:35 > 0:17:39seriously injured in a freak accident in a barn.
0:17:39 > 0:17:42Hey up, Jamesie, how are we doing?
0:17:43 > 0:17:45Fed up?
0:17:45 > 0:17:48James Bradley is fighting for his life
0:17:48 > 0:17:52after this piece of farm machinery left him with a serious head injury.
0:17:52 > 0:17:57- How long do you reckon he were out? - He wasn't out at all. Oh, no.
0:17:57 > 0:18:00Did he cry straight away?
0:18:00 > 0:18:05The team have been piecing together the story of the accident with the help of his dad and mum.
0:18:05 > 0:18:09This information could help surgeons save their son's life.
0:18:09 > 0:18:12Doors Secure, ready for take-off.
0:18:12 > 0:18:15- OK, then, doors, please.- Mine good.
0:18:16 > 0:18:20Now James is on his way from the family farm in the Yorkshire Dales
0:18:20 > 0:18:24to the neurological unit of Leeds General Infirmary.
0:18:24 > 0:18:28How old is James? He is nine? What is his date of birth?
0:18:28 > 0:18:31Paramedic James Vine knows his patient is critically ill.
0:18:31 > 0:18:38Pressure is building inside his skull, and unless it is released quickly, he will die.
0:18:38 > 0:18:42James's mum Laura doesn't know how serious his condition is.
0:18:42 > 0:18:46Medical history - no asthma, no diabetes, no epilepsy?
0:18:46 > 0:18:50Slowly, James's condition is getting worse.
0:18:50 > 0:18:55Pressure is pushing the back of his brain down into the top of his spinal column.
0:18:55 > 0:18:58Doctors call it coning and it is deadly.
0:18:58 > 0:19:03He is not allergic to anything you are aware of? He is not on any regular medications?
0:19:03 > 0:19:05He is a term baby, born on time?
0:19:05 > 0:19:07Up-to-date with all his immunisations?
0:19:07 > 0:19:09And he was a normal delivery? No problems?
0:19:09 > 0:19:14A surgical team is on standby but even at 150 miles an hour
0:19:14 > 0:19:20Helimed 98 will take 14 minutes to reach the LGI's rooftop helipad.
0:19:20 > 0:19:22INDISTINCT TALKING
0:19:25 > 0:19:27..En route for the LGI.
0:19:29 > 0:19:35Pilot Chris Atchell is using all the power available from the chopper's two jet engines.
0:19:35 > 0:19:36Got an ETA?
0:19:38 > 0:19:40Cheers, mate, no worries.
0:19:40 > 0:19:46Dozens of people on the ground are busy helping in the race to get James to hospital.
0:19:46 > 0:19:51Air-traffic control have cleared Chris straight through the busy skies around Leeds-Bradford airport.
0:19:53 > 0:19:55No conflict with us heading out.
0:19:55 > 0:19:57Away from us. Good distance from us.
0:19:57 > 0:20:02Hospital firefighters are waiting to rush him down to surgery.
0:20:02 > 0:20:07If there is swelling and bleeding within the brain then they can sometimes manifest later on
0:20:07 > 0:20:13and initially the patient will look quite stable but then deteriorate quite quickly,
0:20:13 > 0:20:19hence the decision was made to bring him to LGI where he will get the full scans and checkovers
0:20:19 > 0:20:24by the specialists before, you know, anything can hopefully progress.
0:20:24 > 0:20:27Big deep breath. Good lad.
0:20:27 > 0:20:29And out.
0:20:29 > 0:20:30And again.
0:20:30 > 0:20:34- Good lad. Pain in your tummy, James? - No...
0:20:34 > 0:20:36Is it just your head?
0:20:36 > 0:20:39Paramedic James continues to ask the same questions.
0:20:39 > 0:20:41He is not really interested in the answer.
0:20:41 > 0:20:47His patient's condition is deteriorating and he needs to assess his level of consciousness.
0:20:47 > 0:20:51OK chaps, this is James, nine-year-old male,
0:20:51 > 0:20:55baling spike holder, approximately about 6 hundredweight's been on the floor
0:20:55 > 0:20:58and he has climbed on it and it has fallen on top of him.
0:20:58 > 0:21:02The Helimed team has done its job, now it is up to the LGI's
0:21:02 > 0:21:06neurosurgeons to take over the fight to save James.
0:21:06 > 0:21:09It'll be a long night for them and his mum.
0:21:15 > 0:21:19Coming up - James is X-rayed and it is not good news.
0:21:19 > 0:21:22If your brain stem gets squashed, you stop breathing...
0:21:22 > 0:21:27- And the case of the downhill racer who outpaced some cars. - 60 mile an hour.
0:21:32 > 0:21:37Remember the man who was badly injured trying to break in an untamed horse in North Yorkshire?
0:21:37 > 0:21:39Let's find out how his treatment is going.
0:21:39 > 0:21:43Craig Chadwick was working with fellow trainer Karen Nixon
0:21:43 > 0:21:48when a horse bucked and he became tangled in the stirrups.
0:21:48 > 0:21:54Paramedics are concerned about Craig's spine and his blood pressure, which is worryingly low.
0:21:56 > 0:21:57Right then.
0:21:57 > 0:21:59It's not tropical, is it? Bless him.
0:21:59 > 0:22:00No.
0:22:00 > 0:22:05Chris, do you want to roll out that sleeping bag on to the stretcher for us?
0:22:07 > 0:22:09It's a tense time for everyone.
0:22:09 > 0:22:11Craig has been riding since he was five
0:22:11 > 0:22:15but this accident could mean he'll never be able to get on a horse again.
0:22:15 > 0:22:18Right. Oh! OK, if we can just go up.
0:22:18 > 0:22:23- Bring him in from the side and just spin him sideways as you get him in. - That's it.
0:22:23 > 0:22:25Just keep hold of that bag there.
0:22:25 > 0:22:27Training wild horses is dangerous.
0:22:27 > 0:22:31But none of Craig's friends were prepared for it to go so wrong.
0:22:31 > 0:22:35The paramedics won't be able to communicate properly with Craig during the flight
0:22:35 > 0:22:39so they need to attach him to the helicopter's monitoring equipment.
0:22:39 > 0:22:41- Right, so your pain's all in your chest, Craig, is it?- Mm.
0:22:41 > 0:22:46- Keep your arm straight for me. - Is it tender, can I have a feel? Tender when you press?
0:22:46 > 0:22:48Yeah, tender there? OK.
0:22:48 > 0:22:52The horse that trampled on Craig weighs around half a tonne.
0:22:52 > 0:22:55Kate's worried that it could have punctured his lungs.
0:22:55 > 0:23:01Detecting it now could stop them having to perform an emergency operation 2,000 feet up.
0:23:01 > 0:23:03OK sweetheart, just take a breath for me.
0:23:05 > 0:23:11It seems Craig has been lucky, he's stable enough to begin his flight to hospital.
0:23:11 > 0:23:12Radar, Helimed 98 Alpha.
0:23:12 > 0:23:14Helimed 98 Alpha
0:23:14 > 0:23:17INDISTINCT
0:23:17 > 0:23:20'Brompton-on-Swale and routing through James Cook.
0:23:20 > 0:23:24'Requesting a basic service and clearance for the zone, please.'
0:23:24 > 0:23:26Pilot Chris doesn't want to spook the nearby horses.
0:23:26 > 0:23:31There's a danger it could cause another accident so it's a quick take-off.
0:23:31 > 0:23:34- Six to run, Kate.- Thank you.
0:23:34 > 0:23:38At the James Cook Hospital, the trauma team is already gathering.
0:23:38 > 0:23:45Orthopaedic surgeons and Accident & Emergency consultants are being briefed on their airborne patient.
0:23:45 > 0:23:48Radar, Helimed 98 Alpha, letting down James Cook.
0:23:51 > 0:23:54Over the next few hours, Craig has many X-rays and scans
0:23:54 > 0:23:58but doctors can't find any internal injuries or broken bones.
0:23:58 > 0:24:02To everyone's amazement, he's discharged the next day.
0:24:03 > 0:24:06- Hello.- Hello.- So you can walk?- Yeah.
0:24:06 > 0:24:08I didn't think you'd be back today.
0:24:08 > 0:24:11After just three days off, Craig is back at work.
0:24:11 > 0:24:15It seems that Craig's lucky escape hasn't deterred him from riding again.
0:24:15 > 0:24:19He's anxious to get back in the saddle and continue breaking in horses.
0:24:19 > 0:24:24When I got on, I thought everything was OK and as she went to let me out on the lunge,
0:24:24 > 0:24:28the horse spun the opposite way and so the lunge line got wrapped around the whole horse
0:24:28 > 0:24:30which then attached me to the horse
0:24:30 > 0:24:33so as I came out the side,
0:24:33 > 0:24:36I was still attached so I was dangling a foot off the floor
0:24:36 > 0:24:41and I was caught between the horse's front legs.
0:24:41 > 0:24:46So as it took off down the school, I was still attached to it!
0:24:46 > 0:24:48With no-one else holding on to it.
0:24:48 > 0:24:52Karen knows how close Craig came to death that day.
0:24:52 > 0:24:55The memories of the accident are still very clear.
0:24:55 > 0:24:58I thought he was going to be killed. I did think.
0:24:58 > 0:25:01He was so lucky, I don't know how he didn't break anything.
0:25:01 > 0:25:04He was just getting tossed about like a rag doll.
0:25:04 > 0:25:07And thank God, the horse stopped.
0:25:07 > 0:25:12Because if it had carried on I think it would've been...it could have been fatal.
0:25:16 > 0:25:20Coming up - Doctors operate on the farmer's son injured in a freak accident.
0:25:20 > 0:25:23If your brain stem gets squashed, you stop breathing.
0:25:28 > 0:25:31It's quick, it's clean and it's good for you.
0:25:31 > 0:25:34But cycling can be dangerous if you come off.
0:25:34 > 0:25:38Even wearing the right equipment isn't always going to save you.
0:25:38 > 0:25:43Up in the Pennines, cyclists often have an uphill struggle getting from A to B.
0:25:43 > 0:25:47But sometimes riding downhill has its hazards too.
0:25:48 > 0:25:51- Are you ready?- Yep.- OK, clear left.
0:25:51 > 0:25:54Today the Helimed team's keenest cyclist, James Vine,
0:25:54 > 0:25:58and colleague Tony Wilkes are on their way to a fellow rider.
0:25:58 > 0:26:02We've been requested to attend a cyclist
0:26:02 > 0:26:04who's come off his cycle
0:26:04 > 0:26:07going downhill at a really fast speed, apparently.
0:26:07 > 0:26:12He's clearly fractured his wrist, it's also suspected he could have a back or neck injury as well.
0:26:12 > 0:26:15- Looks fairly murky out there, doesn't it?- Yes.
0:26:15 > 0:26:17Helimed 99's heading up to some of the highest roads
0:26:17 > 0:26:21in England on the hills between West Yorkshire and Greater Manchester.
0:26:21 > 0:26:26We're getting to that time of year now where it's nice weather for people to get out and about
0:26:26 > 0:26:31and obviously if they come off at high speeds down some of these hills, you can get some nasty injuries.
0:26:31 > 0:26:33Five to run, please.
0:26:33 > 0:26:38This is rough country and even spotting something as big as an ambulance up here isn't easy.
0:26:38 > 0:26:44- 'Unless you're pilot Steve Cobb.' - That's not an ambulance, is it? Halfway up the hill?- Get a visual.
0:26:45 > 0:26:48- God, you're eagle-eye or something. Eagle-eye Cobb.- Hawk-eye.
0:26:48 > 0:26:50Hawk-eye Cobb!
0:26:51 > 0:26:55This area attracts hardcore cyclists training for races.
0:26:55 > 0:26:59What makes this accident unusual is the cycle and cyclist.
0:27:00 > 0:27:04This is a serious racing bike, worth several thousand pounds.
0:27:05 > 0:27:09James Byron is just 16 but he's a keen road racer.
0:27:09 > 0:27:12He was out training with his dad when he had a tyre blow-out.
0:27:12 > 0:27:16He's been lucky to survive, given the speed at which he came off.
0:27:16 > 0:27:22James has been coming down the hill, approximately 60 mph, his dad says, who's been following in the car.
0:27:22 > 0:27:25- Right.- Hit a grate, wobbled off.
0:27:25 > 0:27:29- I saw him land and then he got up and picked the bike up. - How did he land? Did he...
0:27:29 > 0:27:31I don't know, it happened too quick.
0:27:31 > 0:27:34I took James out on a training ride,
0:27:34 > 0:27:38this is part of our regular training route for him as a racing cyclist.
0:27:38 > 0:27:41We rode to the top of Holme Moss
0:27:41 > 0:27:43and we were riding back down.
0:27:44 > 0:27:47And we got to this one-mile marker, James come off the bike,
0:27:47 > 0:27:50lost control when he hit a drain in the road.
0:27:50 > 0:27:53James has hurt his arm but the ground crew are playing it safe.
0:27:53 > 0:27:58He could easily have broken his neck, so they're treating him as though he has a spinal injury
0:27:58 > 0:28:00and there's a good reason for that.
0:28:01 > 0:28:07We've clocked him getting to this one-mile marker in 60 seconds so he was doing 60 mph.
0:28:07 > 0:28:10This is just a bit of morphine, all right? So it should help.
0:28:10 > 0:28:14No-one could believe it was a cycle he came off at 60.
0:28:14 > 0:28:19Tony or James, can you confirm, was at a push bike, a bicycle he came off, over?
0:28:20 > 0:28:22Yeah, roger, a push bike.
0:28:22 > 0:28:25James's dad is worried his son is badly hurt.
0:28:25 > 0:28:29But flying doctor Simon doesn't want to see another accident today.
0:28:29 > 0:28:32So is this your van?
0:28:32 > 0:28:35- Yes. - Because there's no need to rush,
0:28:35 > 0:28:40- I know you want to be there quickly but there's no need to rush it here at breakneck speed, OK?- Yes.
0:28:40 > 0:28:44Paramedic James knows how lucky his teenage patient has been.
0:28:44 > 0:28:51When he's not flying, he rides a paramedic cycle in Leeds and is no stranger to speed himself.
0:28:51 > 0:28:54Sounds like he's come off at quite a significant speed.
0:28:54 > 0:28:57We're on a decent-sized hill as you can see when you look around.
0:28:57 > 0:29:01Apparently he's been doing up to 60 mph on a push bike.
0:29:01 > 0:29:05Cyclist James can cover more than 100 miles in a training run,
0:29:05 > 0:29:08at speeds close to the limit for cars,
0:29:08 > 0:29:11but he's about to travel to hospital even faster.
0:29:13 > 0:29:17James is being taken to the Huddersfield Royal Infirmary to be checked out by doctors.
0:29:17 > 0:29:20It will take X-rays to rule out a spinal injury.
0:29:23 > 0:29:28He's been lucky that he's not hit any dry-stone walls or anything, he's just landed on some grass.
0:29:28 > 0:29:32So as far as we make out, he's got a probable fractured wrist
0:29:32 > 0:29:38so he's quite settled now, so it's just a case of a quick five-minute flight down to Huddersfield Hospital.
0:29:38 > 0:29:43But the injury to his arm alone required three-and-a-half hours of surgery.
0:29:44 > 0:29:49Off-road biking is a great way to get out and see the countryside but if you're off the beaten track,
0:29:49 > 0:29:53there are no warning signs for steep hills or other hazards.
0:29:53 > 0:30:00The North York Moors are a mountain biker's paradise but it doesn't feel like paradise when you come off.
0:30:00 > 0:30:06Today, Helimed 98 is on its way to the Dalby Forest where a cyclist's come a cropper.
0:30:07 > 0:30:12Helimed 98 to Yorkshire Air Desk, our ETA 1203, over.
0:30:14 > 0:30:16We're heading to Dalby Forest,
0:30:16 > 0:30:20a wonderful place where mountain bikers go at the weekend.
0:30:20 > 0:30:23Unfortunately, a chap's come off his bike,
0:30:23 > 0:30:26he's got a rather serious chest injury.
0:30:26 > 0:30:32Andrew Bell and three of his friends were riding a trail designed for experienced mountain bikers.
0:30:33 > 0:30:37- There's someone in a reflective jacket waving down there. Got it? - OK, yeah. Got him.
0:30:38 > 0:30:42He came off his bike halfway round after attempting a six foot jump.
0:30:43 > 0:30:46Hello, sir. What's your first name?
0:30:46 > 0:30:48- Andrew.- Hello, Andrew.
0:30:48 > 0:30:50I'm Sammy, I'm one of the paramedics.
0:30:50 > 0:30:52- How are you doing?- Lot of pain.
0:30:52 > 0:30:54A lot of pain, whereabouts, mate?
0:30:54 > 0:30:57- My shoulder.- Your shoulder, which one, left or right?
0:30:57 > 0:30:59- Right.- Your right shoulder, OK.
0:30:59 > 0:31:04Andrew took up the sport again a couple of months ago after a break.
0:31:04 > 0:31:07He may have been a bit over-ambitious.
0:31:08 > 0:31:11He fell from a six foot drop, sort of thing.
0:31:11 > 0:31:13He jumped and fell.
0:31:13 > 0:31:15He didn't get back up.
0:31:15 > 0:31:18Take a deep breath for me, sir. As best you can.
0:31:20 > 0:31:22- Is your tummy OK?- Mm.- Yep?
0:31:22 > 0:31:24You got any pain in your ribs at all?
0:31:24 > 0:31:26- Yeah.- Which side?- Just everywhere.
0:31:26 > 0:31:30He's complaining of a lot of pain his ribs, he just isn't breathing.
0:31:30 > 0:31:34- Has he got IV access?- No, we've tried.- Are you guys happy to help carry?
0:31:34 > 0:31:36- Course we are, yeah.- Brilliant.
0:31:36 > 0:31:40Andrew's mates know he's in good hands and that he'll soon be
0:31:40 > 0:31:44on his way to get the best possible care in hospital.
0:31:44 > 0:31:47- Do you know where you are? - Mm-hm.- Where are you?
0:31:47 > 0:31:48- Dalby Forest.- Good lad.
0:31:48 > 0:31:52Paramedic Sammy Wills keeps asking Andrew simple questions
0:31:52 > 0:31:56to check that he hasn't got concussion or a more serious head injury.
0:31:56 > 0:31:59He's got a lot of pain in his shoulder
0:31:59 > 0:32:03and it's spreading through to the right side of his ribs.
0:32:03 > 0:32:08We've given him some morphine which is usually really effective
0:32:08 > 0:32:11and hopefully his breathing will be a lot easier.
0:32:11 > 0:32:14He'll just feel a lot more comfortable on the way in.
0:32:14 > 0:32:18Andrew's wife and parents are on their way to the James Cook Hospital.
0:32:18 > 0:32:23They'll soon find out that his injuries are more serious than everyone first thought.
0:32:24 > 0:32:30Andrew has a broken vertebra in his back as well as his collarbone and his shoulder.
0:32:30 > 0:32:33He'll have to have an operation and will spend nine days in hospital.
0:32:34 > 0:32:40Two-and-a-half weeks later, and Andrew is back at home with a couple of very impressive scars.
0:32:40 > 0:32:46The main scar down the back is where they've pieced together where I broke my 12th vertebra.
0:32:46 > 0:32:48The bottom scar is from a bone graft.
0:32:48 > 0:32:53If I lie on my lie on my back it's sore, and I can't lie on my side because of my collarbone.
0:32:53 > 0:32:54I've broken my 12th vertebra,
0:32:54 > 0:32:58I've broken my shoulder, I've broke my collarbone,
0:32:58 > 0:33:02I broke three ribs, and I punctured my right lung
0:33:02 > 0:33:05so the pain, when it first happened,
0:33:05 > 0:33:07the biggest problem was breathing.
0:33:07 > 0:33:13To try and get my breath was very hard because I was also out of breath as well off riding the bike.
0:33:13 > 0:33:16- Ever hurt your shoulders before, mate?- No.
0:33:16 > 0:33:20I was shaking cos I was that cold from being on the ground for two hours.
0:33:20 > 0:33:24I kept saying to us, you'll be all right, Andrew, you're going to the right place.
0:33:24 > 0:33:25That was about it, really.
0:33:25 > 0:33:32I can't remember the noise of it, how bumpy it was, landing, there's loads of bits I can't remember!
0:33:32 > 0:33:36It'll take around 12 weeks for Andrew's injuries to heal.
0:33:36 > 0:33:39But this hasn't put him off mountain biking.
0:33:39 > 0:33:45I'll still do mountain biking, if my injuries fully heal and there's no pains there, to be honest.
0:33:45 > 0:33:48But I think I'll be investing in a bit of body armour.
0:33:49 > 0:33:54It's your head that's most vulnerable in a bike accident and every year, dozens of cyclists die
0:33:54 > 0:34:00or are left permanently disabled as a result of injuries that could have been prevented by one of these.
0:34:01 > 0:34:07An emergency call from the Derbyshire Peak District and the Helimed 98 crew are on their way.
0:34:07 > 0:34:09Yes, a request from a neighbouring service.
0:34:09 > 0:34:13We've got reports of a 19-year-old male who's come off his push bike
0:34:13 > 0:34:17near a reservoir and he's got head injuries and he's semi-conscious.
0:34:17 > 0:34:21Putting a helicopter down in the Peaks is a tricky business.
0:34:21 > 0:34:26So paramedic Al Day immediately starts mapping out potential landing sites.
0:34:28 > 0:34:30We can't land close by.
0:34:30 > 0:34:34What might seem like a short walk, 400 metres, 500 metres when you're
0:34:34 > 0:34:37trying to carry a person,
0:34:37 > 0:34:41that's quite difficult, especially if the ground isn't flat.
0:34:41 > 0:34:45If you're having to carry somebody down a steep slope or something.
0:34:45 > 0:34:50That can be dangerous unless you've got the right equipment and you know what you're doing.
0:34:50 > 0:34:52INDISTINCT
0:34:52 > 0:34:54- Is that the ambulance?- Yeah.
0:34:54 > 0:34:59It's impossible for Helimed 98 to land near the casualty.
0:34:59 > 0:35:04So the land ambulance will pick him up and drive him to a suitable site at the end of the reservoir.
0:35:04 > 0:35:10If they can get in contact with whoever's on scene, if they can tell them if they see us
0:35:10 > 0:35:14and talk us into where they are, that might be a way if we can.
0:35:18 > 0:35:24It takes all pilot Steve Cobb's skill to put the aircraft down safely right next to the dam.
0:35:24 > 0:35:27That looks good my side.
0:35:29 > 0:35:32I'd say if anything, you want to be more to my side.
0:35:35 > 0:35:39The rangers from the nearby Visitor Centre raised the alarm.
0:35:39 > 0:35:41He's fairly stable, they think.
0:35:41 > 0:35:44- They're going to transport him back here now.- OK.
0:35:44 > 0:35:47And they'll be here fairly shortly.
0:35:47 > 0:35:49The patient's been located
0:35:49 > 0:35:53by a land ambulance at the next dam along, about a mile away.
0:35:53 > 0:35:56So they're just bringing the patient down to us.
0:35:56 > 0:35:58Apparently he's got some kind of head injury.
0:35:58 > 0:36:03The ground crew have had difficulty communicating with injured cyclist Ryan Horsley
0:36:03 > 0:36:06because he lost his hearing aid when he came off his bike.
0:36:06 > 0:36:09He's got a good laceration to the side of his head.
0:36:09 > 0:36:11His left ear is quite torn at the top.
0:36:11 > 0:36:13Clavicle fracture.
0:36:13 > 0:36:18Clavicle fracture. His pal that was with him he's gone on down to the visiting centre
0:36:18 > 0:36:20so we'll probably get more information.
0:36:20 > 0:36:24- Do you want me to get him back?- Yes, that'd be fantastic.- I'll get someone to bring him back.- Superb.
0:36:24 > 0:36:27Hello, you OK?
0:36:27 > 0:36:28Are you OK?
0:36:28 > 0:36:34- No.- No!- He's been complaining of his hip hurting but I think that's just the abrasion.
0:36:34 > 0:36:37I've had a good feel of the hip and everything's fine.
0:36:37 > 0:36:39Just going to move your legs, OK?
0:36:41 > 0:36:42Does that hurt?
0:36:42 > 0:36:44INDISTINCT REPLY
0:36:44 > 0:36:45OK.
0:36:49 > 0:36:55With mobile phones out of action, Ryan's brother had to cycle to the Visitor Centre to get help.
0:36:55 > 0:36:59I just saw the blood and somebody was looking after him.
0:36:59 > 0:37:04Seemed to know what he was doing so they told me to go and get some help quick.
0:37:04 > 0:37:08Meanwhile, some passing walkers took care of Ryan.
0:37:08 > 0:37:14There's no mobile signals or anything, we had to send his friend on the bike to come and fetch help.
0:37:14 > 0:37:20And of course when you're in that situation it seems like forever but it's only minutes, basically.
0:37:20 > 0:37:22But seems like a long time when you're stuck there.
0:37:22 > 0:37:27- Communication was difficult because he was deaf.- Yes, he'd lost his hearing aid.
0:37:27 > 0:37:34Apparently his friend's got that so we were having to write it on a bit of paper and present that to him.
0:37:34 > 0:37:37Of course with the blow to the head, he was a bit confused anyway.
0:37:39 > 0:37:43Instead of an uncomfortable 40-minute journey by road,
0:37:43 > 0:37:47Ryan is being whisked to Sheffield's Northern General Hospital by helicopter.
0:37:47 > 0:37:52There, his injured shoulder and head can be fully assessed.
0:37:53 > 0:37:58And all our cyclists are recovering and planning to get back in the saddle.
0:37:58 > 0:38:03Now, let's catch up with James's case, the farmer's son badly injured in North Yorkshire.
0:38:04 > 0:38:08Nine-year-old James Bradley has been lucky to reach couple alive.
0:38:08 > 0:38:10That lump is a sign of a serious head injury
0:38:10 > 0:38:14that has caused a dangerous buildup of pressure inside his brain.
0:38:14 > 0:38:19It's every parent's nightmare to be involved in an accident, let alone one that involves
0:38:19 > 0:38:23taking a blow to the head with heavy machinery and then having to fly to hospital.
0:38:23 > 0:38:28Thanks to the Helimed team, he's now in one of the UK's top neurological units.
0:38:28 > 0:38:34But his survival is in real doubt as the pressure builds up inside his skull.
0:38:34 > 0:38:37Surgeons at the Leeds General Infirmary decide
0:38:37 > 0:38:41to temporarily remove a portion of his skull to relieve the swelling.
0:38:43 > 0:38:46For two long days, it's touch and go.
0:38:47 > 0:38:50But children can be incredibly resilient.
0:38:50 > 0:38:55And less than a week after the accident, there's good news at the family farm.
0:38:55 > 0:39:01James decided, in his infinite wisdom, that he was going to swing on it like a monkey
0:39:01 > 0:39:04so he put his hands on the top here, coming from that direction,
0:39:04 > 0:39:09tried to swing his legs through, and all he succeeded in doing was pulling it onto his head.
0:39:09 > 0:39:12And it makes quite a satisfying... bang.
0:39:12 > 0:39:14It was really scary
0:39:14 > 0:39:17and it really hurt
0:39:17 > 0:39:19and I was shocked and
0:39:19 > 0:39:21blood coming down my face
0:39:21 > 0:39:23and I was really annoyed.
0:39:23 > 0:39:25Everything was just...
0:39:25 > 0:39:27just a bit freaky.
0:39:27 > 0:39:31His forehead was under there and the back of his head was on the concrete.
0:39:31 > 0:39:34There's scarcely enough room to fit a little head under there.
0:39:36 > 0:39:40James's mum and dad had no idea how badly he was hurt.
0:39:40 > 0:39:45At the time, we just thought it really wasn't going to be anything too serious.
0:39:45 > 0:39:50Then they decided to take him for a CT scan, then by the time he'd come out of the scan,
0:39:50 > 0:39:52his nose had started to bleed.
0:39:52 > 0:39:55Then they just took him straight into theatre.
0:39:55 > 0:39:57They came and spoke to me
0:39:57 > 0:40:00and just said he's got a blood clot.
0:40:00 > 0:40:04So whereupon, I just thought... you just hear those words and I thought, oh, my God.
0:40:04 > 0:40:09I thought he was going to die. I thought that's it, blood clot, he's going, you know.
0:40:09 > 0:40:13I was driving down when Laura rang me and I was nearly there actually,
0:40:13 > 0:40:16she said they've just taken him to theatre because they've found
0:40:16 > 0:40:21a blood clot in his head. Well, I nearly missed my lane on the roundabout
0:40:21 > 0:40:23and at that point, it all got quite scary.
0:40:23 > 0:40:29The neurologist who operated on James says his life was in the balance.
0:40:29 > 0:40:34This is James's scan. This is the blood clot here, the white thing here.
0:40:34 > 0:40:37So the brain is being squashed from the left to the right
0:40:37 > 0:40:40by about a centimetre, which is quite a significant shift.
0:40:40 > 0:40:45This part of the brain then gets squashed across and presses on the brain stem.
0:40:45 > 0:40:48The brain stem controls your heart rate and your breathing.
0:40:48 > 0:40:55And if your brain stem gets squashed, you stop breathing, your heart rate disappears and that's it.
0:40:56 > 0:41:01If you can have the blood clot out, the pressure relieved within four hours of the injury,
0:41:01 > 0:41:06you're much more likely to have a good outcome from the injury. Time is critical.
0:41:06 > 0:41:12By being brought straight to us by the air ambulance, he was here in a matter of minutes.
0:41:12 > 0:41:16Within a very short space of time of his injury, he'd had his surgery.
0:41:16 > 0:41:19The air ambulance was absolutely critical in that.
0:41:21 > 0:41:25Being a typical nine-year-old, James is keen to put the whole thing behind him.
0:41:27 > 0:41:30Now he's just trying to get back to normal.
0:41:30 > 0:41:35I'll say, "James, just be careful what you're doing. You can't do this, don't run.
0:41:35 > 0:41:40"Watch out, don't bang your head." He just goes, "Mum, stop nagging."
0:41:40 > 0:41:46I think one of them's also mooing, that bluey one because its calf's getting into the feed.
0:41:46 > 0:41:49The thing is with James, he's one who won't be beat by anything.
0:41:49 > 0:41:51He's a tough little thing!
0:41:51 > 0:41:53Which is good.
0:41:53 > 0:41:56He won't be beat.
0:41:56 > 0:41:59When Helicopter Heroes comes back -
0:41:59 > 0:42:03a young mum is thrown 20 feet after a road accident. But the chopper can't land.
0:42:03 > 0:42:06Stop, stop, stop.
0:42:06 > 0:42:08A veteran biker's badly hurt.
0:42:08 > 0:42:12He's gone over and landed on this big slab here so...
0:42:12 > 0:42:15The gritters are out but not on this road.
0:42:15 > 0:42:17We're going to put you on to a spinal board.
0:42:17 > 0:42:20I'm putgin you in the helicopter, is that OK?
0:42:20 > 0:42:24And the call a young rugby player's mum didn't want to receive.
0:42:24 > 0:42:28Oliver is going to be transported by an air ambulance, Mrs Moore.
0:42:33 > 0:42:36Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:42:36 > 0:42:39E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk