0:00:03 > 0:00:08If you're seriously ill or critically injured, every second counts,
0:00:08 > 0:00:12especially if you're up high or off the beaten track.
0:00:12 > 0:00:16But, thanks to these guys, the people of the UK's biggest county
0:00:16 > 0:00:19are never more than ten 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 > 0:00:50Five million people depend on these yellow helicopters
0:00:50 > 0:00:53to bring life-saving care from the skies.
0:00:53 > 0:00:56When a multiple pile-up closes Britain's highest motorway,
0:00:56 > 0:00:59or there's a serious accident on the shop floor,
0:00:59 > 0:01:02the highly trained paramedics and pilots of the helimed team
0:01:02 > 0:01:05are there to rescue the casualties.
0:01:05 > 0:01:10Today on Helicopter Heroes, a family day out ends in a car crash,
0:01:10 > 0:01:11and a passing mum turns medic.
0:01:11 > 0:01:14Somebody was asking if we had a first-aid kit.
0:01:14 > 0:01:17A man loses his fingers in a factory accident.
0:01:17 > 0:01:20Can paramedic Sammy save them?
0:01:20 > 0:01:23With so many nerve endings you get lots of pain,
0:01:23 > 0:01:26so I'm drawing up a second dose should we need to give it in flight.
0:01:26 > 0:01:28And a cyclist's badly injured.
0:01:28 > 0:01:32Just going to pop you off to sleep in a little bit, mate, and get you off to hospital, OK?
0:01:40 > 0:01:45It takes three years of hard study to qualify as a paramedic,
0:01:45 > 0:01:47seven to become a doctor,
0:01:47 > 0:01:50and more than ten to build up the experience
0:01:50 > 0:01:53needed to be an Air Ambulance pilot.
0:01:53 > 0:01:58It's a lot of expensive expertise, but the results can be priceless.
0:01:58 > 0:02:05The steep hill that takes holiday traffic nearly 900 feet up Sutton Bank in North Yorkshire
0:02:05 > 0:02:08is among the UK's most accident-prone A-roads.
0:02:09 > 0:02:11It's blocked twice a week on average,
0:02:11 > 0:02:16often by drivers underestimating its one-in-four incline.
0:02:16 > 0:02:18Today, it's closed again.
0:02:20 > 0:02:24Helimed 99 was refuelling at an airfield just five miles away
0:02:24 > 0:02:26when the 999 call came.
0:02:26 > 0:02:32This is Helimed 99. I've just been given a call to Sutton Bank
0:02:32 > 0:02:35and will be landing there very shortly.
0:02:35 > 0:02:39We've been called to a road traffic accident which is two minutes away.
0:02:39 > 0:02:42Don't know what's involved yet, but we'll see pretty quick.
0:02:42 > 0:02:44Visual, yeah.
0:02:46 > 0:02:50Pilot Chris has spotted a mansion with a large garden set into the hillside.
0:02:50 > 0:02:54- I've just seen some wires in the corner, mate.- Watch the wires.
0:02:54 > 0:02:57The front lawn's about to become a helipad.
0:02:57 > 0:03:01- Wires coming out.- Yeah, I know. That goes to the house.
0:03:01 > 0:03:03I'm going to put you on the corner of the lawn.
0:03:03 > 0:03:05OK, just watch the tail, Chris.
0:03:05 > 0:03:07There's a bush hanging out over the back. Have a look, mate.
0:03:07 > 0:03:10That's all right, we're happy with that.
0:03:10 > 0:03:14Watch to the left, three o'clock. No worries.
0:03:19 > 0:03:22The smash has happened halfway up the hill.
0:03:22 > 0:03:25A family hatchback's been in a collision with a tractor.
0:03:25 > 0:03:29The car was carrying a family of five on their way to a day out
0:03:29 > 0:03:30at an amusement park.
0:03:30 > 0:03:32Three children are injured.
0:03:32 > 0:03:35The crew of Helimed 99 are the first medics on scene,
0:03:35 > 0:03:37but they already have help.
0:03:37 > 0:03:40We need a couple of vehicles. Get two vehicles coming.
0:03:40 > 0:03:44Mum of two Sarah Quinn was returning home to Otley near Leeds
0:03:44 > 0:03:48after rain washed out a camping break when she came across the accident.
0:03:48 > 0:03:53- This girl's having a lot of trouble with her stomach.- Right, OK.
0:03:53 > 0:03:56Sarah's been cradling five-year-old Samir in her arms.
0:03:56 > 0:03:57There's a graze from her seatbelt,
0:03:57 > 0:04:02but I think it's hurting quite a bit inside, isn't it? This gentleman's going to help you.
0:04:02 > 0:04:05No-one else injured, just the children?
0:04:05 > 0:04:09There were these two people, two adults, four children in a car.
0:04:09 > 0:04:12We just pulled up when the crash had happened already.
0:04:12 > 0:04:14Hello. My name's Simon.
0:04:16 > 0:04:17Where does it hurt?
0:04:19 > 0:04:21There. Oh, dear.
0:04:21 > 0:04:23Samir's complaining that her tummy hurts.
0:04:23 > 0:04:27Children are particularly at risk of internal injuries in car crashes.
0:04:27 > 0:04:30Is it sore here? Are you OK?
0:04:30 > 0:04:35Take a big breath like you're blowing a big balloon up. Good girl.
0:04:35 > 0:04:38- Brilliant.- Well done. I'm not going to hurt,
0:04:38 > 0:04:41I just want to have a quick little tickle of your tummy, OK?
0:04:42 > 0:04:45Sutton Bank is wet and slippery today.
0:04:45 > 0:04:48The weather's been a factor in the accident.
0:04:48 > 0:04:51We saw the tractor come round the bend, lost it on the bend,
0:04:51 > 0:04:53and when we come round it happened, in literally seconds.
0:04:53 > 0:04:57We just jumped out, got the kids out of the car,
0:04:57 > 0:05:02just wrapped them up just to keep them calm, really.
0:05:02 > 0:05:06We were about five cars behind and just saw the queue of traffic,
0:05:06 > 0:05:08and just somebody was running up the hill
0:05:08 > 0:05:10asking if we had a first-aid kit so I just went down.
0:05:10 > 0:05:13The children had come out the car and were bleeding,
0:05:13 > 0:05:18so I just took hold of Samir, cuddled and talked to her,
0:05:18 > 0:05:21tried to keep her off the wet floor. It was horrible.
0:05:21 > 0:05:25The little girl's mum and dad are shocked and hurt themselves,
0:05:25 > 0:05:29and they've been caring for Samir's two sisters and their nephew.
0:05:29 > 0:05:31The chest is hurting.
0:05:31 > 0:05:33Abdo's all right, pelvis is fine,
0:05:33 > 0:05:36good movement of limbs. This one I'm starting with now.
0:05:36 > 0:05:43Flying doctor Simon Ward fears Samir may have a serious internal injury.
0:05:43 > 0:05:47Look what I've got. Can I have a listen and see if I can hear your breakfast?
0:05:48 > 0:05:51OK, it doesn't hurt. OK? I'm just going to have a listen.
0:05:51 > 0:05:54You're ever so good. It's a bit cold.
0:05:54 > 0:05:57Big breath like a balloon. Good girl.
0:05:57 > 0:06:01And another one. Excellent. Let's listen for that breakfast.
0:06:03 > 0:06:05Good girl.
0:06:05 > 0:06:08The team has to make sure it's prioritising the most serious patients.
0:06:08 > 0:06:12We need a board, PD collar.
0:06:12 > 0:06:16- She's pale. Spleen's gone. - Spleen?- I think so.
0:06:16 > 0:06:18They badly need extra help.
0:06:18 > 0:06:22We just want to get a board collar, get her stabilised.
0:06:37 > 0:06:39For the ambulance service, time is critical.
0:06:39 > 0:06:42And in some cases, the speed these guys react
0:06:42 > 0:06:46can make the difference between a lifetime of disability
0:06:46 > 0:06:47and a good recovery.
0:06:50 > 0:06:53Emergencies don't come much more urgent than today's.
0:06:53 > 0:06:56There's been a 999 call about an industrial accident
0:06:56 > 0:06:59at a factory near Pontefract.
0:06:59 > 0:07:03Reports of a gentleman apparently cut three of his fingers off.
0:07:03 > 0:07:06We'll wait to see what we've got when we get there.
0:07:06 > 0:07:10We're hoping to be able to take this patient to Leeds General Infirmary.
0:07:10 > 0:07:12OK, no worries.
0:07:12 > 0:07:15With modern surgical techniques, fingers can be re-attached,
0:07:15 > 0:07:18but it's got to be done quickly.
0:07:18 > 0:07:21The chopper's touching down in a delivery yard.
0:07:21 > 0:07:24Clear of the post at the rear. Watch the benches.
0:07:24 > 0:07:26Clear right rear.
0:07:29 > 0:07:32- Thank you very much. - OK, guys, good to go.
0:07:32 > 0:07:37Patient Chris Hewitt is already being treated by a ground ambulance crew.
0:07:37 > 0:07:39All right, chaps, how we doing?
0:07:39 > 0:07:43This is Chris Hewitt, a 40-year-old gentleman, he's trapped his fingers.
0:07:43 > 0:07:46We haven't given up yet. Those three are gone.
0:07:46 > 0:07:49- One's still hanging on, we've got two on some ice.- Brilliant.
0:07:49 > 0:07:52He's had some tramadol.
0:07:52 > 0:07:54Don't grab it, then, eh?
0:07:54 > 0:07:56Don't you look, sweet. He don't want to look.
0:07:59 > 0:08:04This gentleman, it looks like he's amputated some fingers.
0:08:04 > 0:08:07He's got quite a lot of pain. We're just cleaning him up
0:08:07 > 0:08:10and we're going to give him some better pain relief
0:08:10 > 0:08:12and then take him.
0:08:12 > 0:08:17The time it takes to get him and his severed fingers to hospital is critical.
0:08:19 > 0:08:23James is alerting the microsurgery team at the Leeds General Infirmary.
0:08:23 > 0:08:26They're experts in treating injuries like this.
0:08:26 > 0:08:29The history is, he's a 40-year-old, he's haemodynamically stable,
0:08:29 > 0:08:33and we'll be with you in approximately 15 minutes.
0:08:33 > 0:08:38- Have we got the fingers to hand? - They're in there.
0:08:40 > 0:08:42We've wrapped them up in gloves.
0:08:42 > 0:08:45Originally, they were just in a bag,
0:08:45 > 0:08:48so I've come out and put them in there.
0:08:50 > 0:08:53Fingers and hands, there's so many nerve endings,
0:08:53 > 0:08:54you do get a lot of pain,
0:08:54 > 0:08:57so I'm drawing up a second dose should we need to give it whilst in flight.
0:08:57 > 0:09:01We are only going to be minutes into loading him,
0:09:01 > 0:09:04but it's just belt and braces.
0:09:04 > 0:09:07Left hand, three fingers.
0:09:07 > 0:09:09I'm left-handed as well.
0:09:09 > 0:09:13The advantage of going to Leeds is there's specialist hand surgeons there,
0:09:13 > 0:09:16and what we want to do is, these fingers that have come off,
0:09:16 > 0:09:20we've got the option of re-attaching them at the moment, OK,
0:09:20 > 0:09:22because it's happening so quick.
0:09:22 > 0:09:2540-year-old Chris's work mates haven't panicked.
0:09:25 > 0:09:29They've collected up his fingers, wrapped them in plastic and put them on ice.
0:09:29 > 0:09:32One's still hanging on, his little finger's still hanging on.
0:09:32 > 0:09:37- Is it partially attached? - Bone's all stuck out and everything.
0:09:37 > 0:09:39That's great, thank you very much.
0:09:39 > 0:09:41The patient won't want to see that bit.
0:09:41 > 0:09:45They've done a great job, but Sammy's worried they may be too cold.
0:09:45 > 0:09:48Ice burns are a real problem for surgeons.
0:09:48 > 0:09:50They can kill healthy tissue.
0:09:50 > 0:09:51This is the gentleman's finger.
0:09:51 > 0:09:54I'm just going to get rid of half of the ice, actually.
0:09:57 > 0:09:59That's it. Then it won't fall out.
0:09:59 > 0:10:02At the moment, technically, it could just receive an ice burn.
0:10:02 > 0:10:07- Been on a helicopter before?- No. - Gets really noisy...
0:10:07 > 0:10:09Chris is in shock but time's ticking by.
0:10:09 > 0:10:13James knows every lost minute reduces his patient's chances
0:10:13 > 0:10:15of a successful graft.
0:10:31 > 0:10:33The helimed crews are all volunteers.
0:10:33 > 0:10:35The paramedics are paid by the NHS,
0:10:35 > 0:10:39but some of the flying doctors actually give their time for free.
0:10:39 > 0:10:43Two wheels may be the greenest way to get around on the roads,
0:10:43 > 0:10:46but it's also among the most dangerous
0:10:46 > 0:10:51and Helimed 99 is about to touch down at the source of accident all paramedics dread -
0:10:51 > 0:10:53car versus cyclist.
0:10:53 > 0:10:58If the person is unconscious, they're generally unconscious because of a head injury.
0:10:58 > 0:11:0225-year-old Ben Walker was thrown from his bike and landed on his head.
0:11:02 > 0:11:05He looks like he may have a serious head injury,
0:11:05 > 0:11:07despite the helmet he was wearing.
0:11:07 > 0:11:12On the crew today is Dr Jez Purnell, the hospital anaesthetist.
0:11:12 > 0:11:15His skills are badly needed.
0:11:15 > 0:11:18He's been unconscious since he came off the bike.
0:11:18 > 0:11:20He went straight over the handle bars.
0:11:20 > 0:11:25He's reacting a bit more now to the pain, but he's quite agitated.
0:11:25 > 0:11:29Ben is refusing to cooperate with his rescuers.
0:11:29 > 0:11:33It's behaviour that's completely out of character.
0:11:33 > 0:11:36Their patient was out for a spin on his new bike,
0:11:36 > 0:11:39wearing all the right gear - and that probably saved his life.
0:11:39 > 0:11:43His helmet shows the force of the impact.
0:11:43 > 0:11:45I need to know you can hear what I'm saying.
0:11:45 > 0:11:49Stick your tongue out if you can hear what I'm saying. You what, buddy?
0:11:49 > 0:11:52The ground paramedics were with Ben within minutes of his fall
0:11:52 > 0:11:55on a quiet road on the outskirts of Sheffield.
0:11:55 > 0:11:59They began the battle to stabilise his condition.
0:11:59 > 0:12:02Now it's up to the helimed team to get him to hospital.
0:12:02 > 0:12:07Dr Jez faces anaesthetising his patient where he lies.
0:12:07 > 0:12:10Just drawing up something just to sedate him a little bit.
0:12:10 > 0:12:12The problem is, he's quite agitated,
0:12:12 > 0:12:15we can't get him out of the position he's in, we can't lie him flat.
0:12:15 > 0:12:19We need him flat to pop him off to sleep, so we are going to
0:12:19 > 0:12:23give him something to numb him up a bit so we can get him
0:12:23 > 0:12:27into a reasonable position where we can then anaesthetise him.
0:12:27 > 0:12:29Absolutely fine.
0:12:29 > 0:12:32We need to take over his respiration ourselves,
0:12:32 > 0:12:36so this is like, alone that we do it, instead of the patient.
0:12:36 > 0:12:39Once Jez anaesthetised him, all the respiratory effort will stop,
0:12:39 > 0:12:41so he's not breathing,
0:12:41 > 0:12:43so we have to breathe for him.
0:12:43 > 0:12:47Now under sedation, Ben's about to be anaesthetised.
0:12:47 > 0:12:52He won't wake up until doctors are satisfied his brain isn't damaged
0:12:52 > 0:12:56or it's had time to recover, and that could be days or weeks.
0:12:58 > 0:13:03Ben, I'll pop you off to sleep in a minute, mate, and get you off to hospital, OK?
0:13:06 > 0:13:10A breathing tube must be carefully slipped down Ben's windpipe.
0:13:13 > 0:13:15It's a delicate operation.
0:13:17 > 0:13:19Tube, mate.
0:13:19 > 0:13:22there's Quite a lot of blood in his airway.
0:13:22 > 0:13:25- But they've done it.- OK.
0:13:25 > 0:13:28It went quite smoothly at the side of the road.
0:13:28 > 0:13:32The patient's now sedated, we can maintain an airway.
0:13:32 > 0:13:38The accident's happened a few miles from Sheffield's Northern General Hospital and its trauma unit.
0:13:38 > 0:13:42But sometimes the helimed team bypass local hospitals to deliver
0:13:42 > 0:13:46badly injured patients to a specialist unit.
0:13:46 > 0:13:49Ben will instead be flown 40 miles to Leeds General Infirmary
0:13:49 > 0:13:52and its state of the art neurological ward.
0:13:52 > 0:13:55It's a case of getting him to definitive care now at Leeds,
0:13:55 > 0:13:58which is where the neuro ICU unit is.
0:13:58 > 0:14:01What we are worried about in patients like this is if they've got
0:14:01 > 0:14:04bleeding in the brain, that can be taken out by an operation.
0:14:04 > 0:14:08The quicker you get that done, the better, so you don't have
0:14:08 > 0:14:13a secondary transfer from a hospital without neurosurgery on site. It's a really, really good thing.
0:14:13 > 0:14:16Ben's now minutes away from specialist care.
0:14:16 > 0:14:22But brain injuries are hard to diagnose, and only time will reveal the seriousness of his condition.
0:14:26 > 0:14:29It's six months since the accident that nearly killed him.
0:14:29 > 0:14:32And Ben is meeting paramedic Tony Wilkes,
0:14:32 > 0:14:35one of the team who saved his life.
0:14:35 > 0:14:39My first real memories are vague. I remember phoning people from the hospital,
0:14:39 > 0:14:43and then forgetting that I'd phoned them and it took a long time
0:14:43 > 0:14:46for friends, family and the doctors to convince me anything
0:14:46 > 0:14:50was wrong with me because I didn't see any cuts and bruises on me.
0:14:50 > 0:14:54I think because it'd been such a long time, I didn't know what was going on with it.
0:14:54 > 0:14:58It was only when I tried to walk and I couldn't, I realised I wasn't doing quite so well.
0:14:58 > 0:15:02There is always a big debate as to whether cycle helmets are worth it,
0:15:02 > 0:15:05but I've been to so many and it's saved people.
0:15:05 > 0:15:07I think having the right team, the right skills
0:15:07 > 0:15:13and the speed to do what they did for me probably means I lasted longer than perhaps they thought
0:15:13 > 0:15:17I was going to, and I managed to make a recovery, so that's really good, yes.
0:15:30 > 0:15:33Now, let's return to the scene of that serious accident
0:15:33 > 0:15:35on a steep hill in North Yorkshire.
0:15:35 > 0:15:37The team has its work cut out.
0:15:37 > 0:15:41On the edge of the North York Moors, the crew of the Helimed 99
0:15:41 > 0:15:45are caring for the casualties of a serious accident - a family of five
0:15:45 > 0:15:47on their way to a theme park
0:15:47 > 0:15:50have been badly injured in a crash with a tractor.
0:15:50 > 0:15:54She's injured her abdomen in the crash so we're going to get her
0:15:54 > 0:15:59flat on the board, oxygen on, pain relief, then get her off to hospital.
0:15:59 > 0:16:03Now ground crews are arriving at the scene.
0:16:03 > 0:16:06Dale's paramedic, Pete Shaw, is based 20 miles away,
0:16:06 > 0:16:09but he was just down the road when the 999 call came in.
0:16:09 > 0:16:12Now, he's joining the rescue operation.
0:16:12 > 0:16:16In this car here, you can see the impact.
0:16:16 > 0:16:18All passengers were restrained,
0:16:18 > 0:16:21doesn't look as though they were in paediatric seats.
0:16:21 > 0:16:26- Little girl, looks like she's got a spleen injury.- Right.
0:16:26 > 0:16:30Just assessing the other two kids, who seem fine. Dad's there.
0:16:30 > 0:16:34There's a little girl in his arms and they all seem fine.
0:16:34 > 0:16:37Five-year-old Samir Udin is the most severe casualty.
0:16:37 > 0:16:42Oh! You're doing ever so well. We are going to get a blanket and keep you warm.
0:16:42 > 0:16:47I've got air, it's a special necklace that goes right round, OK.
0:16:52 > 0:16:55Holiday-maker Sarah Quinn's been looking after her.
0:16:57 > 0:17:01Paramedic Pete is helping Lee care for six-year-old Sanjida.
0:17:01 > 0:17:06- You're five, aren't you? Five?!- Six. - Sorry, six.
0:17:06 > 0:17:09They're worried about this deep cut to her head.
0:17:13 > 0:17:18Samir's dad Nazar was driving the family's car.
0:17:18 > 0:17:23I've had a good look at her and she's obviously wide-awake...
0:17:23 > 0:17:26Little Tia, who's just two, is also hurt.
0:17:26 > 0:17:30When she's had the seatbelt on, it's just bruised her tummy, OK.
0:17:30 > 0:17:32So we'll take her to hospital
0:17:32 > 0:17:36because I want her to be seen by the doctor there quickly. OK?
0:17:36 > 0:17:39Fine, just give them a check over and give them all the details.
0:17:39 > 0:17:41OK, that'll do. And down...
0:17:41 > 0:17:46Sanjida and Samir are now ready for a flight to hospital.
0:17:46 > 0:17:50- It's time for Sarah to say goodbye to Samir.- Take care...
0:17:52 > 0:17:55Her mum's now sheltering her from the rain,
0:17:55 > 0:17:57although she herself is hurt.
0:17:59 > 0:18:01We've got a second helicopter coming.
0:18:01 > 0:18:03It's just a case of landing sites now.
0:18:03 > 0:18:06We are keeping ours, because ours are the most serious patients
0:18:06 > 0:18:08and we want quick access once she's stabilised,
0:18:08 > 0:18:11then the other helicopter will land further down the road
0:18:11 > 0:18:13to take the second patient.
0:18:13 > 0:18:19The Great North Air Ambulance has been called in to fly Sanjida.
0:18:19 > 0:18:22Doctors at the James Cook Hospital in Middlesbrough are already
0:18:22 > 0:18:25on stand-by to examine both girls.
0:18:41 > 0:18:44Imagine losing your fingers.
0:18:44 > 0:18:47It's the nightmare faced by one man after an accident at work
0:18:47 > 0:18:52and he's just about to find out if the doctors can graft them back on.
0:18:52 > 0:18:57Factory worker Chris Hewitt has severed three fingers
0:18:57 > 0:18:59while using an industrial saw.
0:18:59 > 0:19:03His little finger is only just attached to his hand
0:19:03 > 0:19:06and his ring and middle fingers have been cut clean off.
0:19:07 > 0:19:11What we've got at the moment is that little finger,
0:19:11 > 0:19:16in-between your knuckle and finger, that's a partial amputation, and these two are just here.
0:19:16 > 0:19:19OK? The actual fingers that have come off are in good nick.
0:19:19 > 0:19:23This is where Helimed 98 comes into its own.
0:19:23 > 0:19:25Chris is minutes from surgery.
0:19:25 > 0:19:30But James is still pumping him for information. The smallest details can help the surgeons.
0:19:31 > 0:19:32What type of machine is it?
0:19:32 > 0:19:35- Is it a saw or a circular spinning one?- A circular saw.
0:19:35 > 0:19:38I went to pull one forward...
0:19:38 > 0:19:39Ouch.
0:19:39 > 0:19:42..my hand's gone into the blade.
0:19:42 > 0:19:46The saw that removed his fingers made a clean cut.
0:19:46 > 0:19:50That's good, but the accident happened on a factory floor.
0:19:50 > 0:19:52Infection's a real risk.
0:19:52 > 0:19:56There'll be lots of people here who'll want to look at you and have a prod and a poke,
0:19:56 > 0:19:58just try to be patient, mate, OK.
0:19:58 > 0:20:02Six floors below the Leeds General Infirmary helipad,
0:20:02 > 0:20:05an operating theatre is being prepared for Chris.
0:20:06 > 0:20:08Afternoon.
0:20:08 > 0:20:11Microsurgeons can now reconnect severed nerves
0:20:11 > 0:20:15and tiny blood vessels, but it's more art than science.
0:20:15 > 0:20:19Straight in to see the doctors now, mate, OK.
0:20:19 > 0:20:23The team don't know whether Chris has seen the last of his fingers.
0:20:23 > 0:20:27Nice and steady, pal. Swing your legs across first. That's it.
0:20:27 > 0:20:31This is Christopher, 40-year-old male, been on a cross-cutter,
0:20:31 > 0:20:34like circular saw that cuts wood.
0:20:34 > 0:20:37Basically caught his hand in-between, got a full amputation,
0:20:37 > 0:20:41approximal to his IPJ, on his ring and middle finger
0:20:41 > 0:20:44and partial amputation on his little finger.
0:20:44 > 0:20:48Fingers have both been on ice since amputation.
0:20:48 > 0:20:52Within an hour of his arrival, Chris was being operated on.
0:20:52 > 0:20:55Surgeons devised a complex repair
0:20:55 > 0:20:59using what was left of his fingers and skin taken from his arm.
0:20:59 > 0:21:02And three days later, he's out of danger.
0:21:02 > 0:21:05If they hadn't got me here as fast,
0:21:05 > 0:21:08and my fingers, I probably wouldn't have got them back on.
0:21:08 > 0:21:13They had to do skin grafts, nerve and vein graft on them two I think.
0:21:13 > 0:21:16I've got a skin graft off my arm, a skin graft off the top of my leg
0:21:16 > 0:21:20and they've cut nerves and veins from my feet.
0:21:20 > 0:21:22It could take up to 12 months to get my feelings back,
0:21:22 > 0:21:25but I'll never have full movement on it,
0:21:25 > 0:21:28I'll never be able to make a fist like that, I'll be able to do that
0:21:28 > 0:21:31at the most, but not that.
0:21:31 > 0:21:34I'm happy with that anyway, as long as my fingers are there.
0:21:34 > 0:21:36I'd sooner have fingers there than none at all.
0:21:36 > 0:21:39I'll get there eventually, I'll not let it beat me.
0:21:39 > 0:21:42I'll keep persevering with it.
0:21:42 > 0:21:46Chris still remembers the moment he realised he'd lost his fingers.
0:21:46 > 0:21:50I felt the pain so I knew I'd done some damage.
0:21:50 > 0:21:55So I put my hand over my left hand and I shouted my friend.
0:21:56 > 0:22:01I looked and saw my finger on the bench and I just says,
0:22:01 > 0:22:04"Get my finger and make sure it goes on some ice."
0:22:05 > 0:22:10It's still touch-and-go for Chris. Reattachment can fail.
0:22:10 > 0:22:13But three weeks after the accident, he's back at the LGI
0:22:13 > 0:22:16to be examined by the doctors who saved him.
0:22:16 > 0:22:18- How are things going?- Looking good.
0:22:18 > 0:22:21In Christopher's case, the fingers that he brought in
0:22:21 > 0:22:23were in good condition
0:22:23 > 0:22:25and the little finger was attached on,
0:22:25 > 0:22:28so we were able to fix that on with a wire.
0:22:28 > 0:22:32The middle and ring finger, he had good bone structure in them
0:22:32 > 0:22:34and good blood vessels and tendons.
0:22:34 > 0:22:37That meant that it was possible to put them back on
0:22:37 > 0:22:39and we were very lucky that that worked.
0:22:39 > 0:22:42Sometimes it stings a little bit,
0:22:42 > 0:22:45but it's not something I can't cope with.
0:22:45 > 0:22:48I've not really had any pain from it at all, really, from doing it.
0:22:48 > 0:22:53The downside is that some of his knuckles have been fused
0:22:53 > 0:22:55so he'll lose a bit of movement with that.
0:22:55 > 0:22:59But unfortunately, where he'd cut them off was through the joint
0:22:59 > 0:23:02so we couldn't save the joint surface there.
0:23:02 > 0:23:06But he's done really well so far and now it will be over to
0:23:06 > 0:23:11the physiotherapist and occupational therapist to get him as much movement as possible.
0:23:23 > 0:23:26Now, let's catch up on the family caught up
0:23:26 > 0:23:29in a serious road accident on a day out.
0:23:31 > 0:23:36On a steep hill near the market town of Thirsk, the flying paramedics
0:23:36 > 0:23:40are preparing to take off with a young victim of a serious car crash.
0:23:40 > 0:23:44Holiday-maker Sarah Quinn's been looking after five-year-old Samir.
0:23:44 > 0:23:47Now she's on her way to hospital.
0:23:47 > 0:23:50The Great North Air Ambulance will take her six-year-old sister
0:23:50 > 0:23:52Sanjida to the same unit.
0:23:52 > 0:23:54You're doing ever so well.
0:23:54 > 0:23:59I know it's very noisy, that's the other helicopter, for your sister, OK?
0:23:59 > 0:24:01Mum's just coming in a minute, OK.
0:24:04 > 0:24:08Pilot Chris landed in a back garden of a house just off the busy A 170.
0:24:08 > 0:24:10No-one was in.
0:24:10 > 0:24:13The dents three tonnes of chopper have left in the lawn
0:24:13 > 0:24:17may well be the source of some confusion when they get home.
0:24:17 > 0:24:20We think she's got an abdominal injury to her tummy
0:24:20 > 0:24:23which has been injured by the seat belt,
0:24:23 > 0:24:24is what it looks like.
0:24:24 > 0:24:26She's stable, she's had strong pain relief
0:24:26 > 0:24:28and seems much more settled now.
0:24:28 > 0:24:30Samir could be very badly hurt.
0:24:30 > 0:24:34She's told flying doctor Simon Ward that her tummy's hurting.
0:24:34 > 0:24:37He fears she could have internal injuries.
0:24:37 > 0:24:40We're getting her to one of the trauma centres as soon as possible
0:24:40 > 0:24:44so that she can be further evaluated and the surgeons can see her.
0:24:44 > 0:24:50The James Cook Hospital is home to one of the north's best trauma units.
0:24:50 > 0:24:54In a few minutes, Samir will be undergoing tests and scans on her tummy.
0:24:55 > 0:24:59Her six-year-old sister Sanjida is just minutes behind her.
0:24:59 > 0:25:04Despite the huge forces involved in the crash, there's a happy ending.
0:25:04 > 0:25:07Neither sister has more than cuts and bruises.
0:25:08 > 0:25:12The family is soon reunited to the relief of holiday-maker
0:25:12 > 0:25:16Sarah Quinn, whose reassuring presence helped the victims
0:25:16 > 0:25:18in the first minutes after the crash.
0:25:18 > 0:25:21It was really quite a shocking scene to see
0:25:21 > 0:25:25and they were just so upset and all cut and covered in blood.
0:25:25 > 0:25:27It was really, really horrible.
0:25:27 > 0:25:31The child that I went to was a very similar age to my son who's five.
0:25:31 > 0:25:34It was just harrowing to see how upset she was.
0:25:34 > 0:25:39As a mother, it just really, really hit me how awful it was
0:25:39 > 0:25:41and how scared they were.
0:25:41 > 0:25:43She was absolutely petrified.
0:25:43 > 0:25:45Her eyes kept lolling back in her head
0:25:45 > 0:25:50and I was really worried that something was seriously wrong.
0:25:50 > 0:25:53I was just holding this tiny child and she just seemed so fragile
0:25:53 > 0:25:57and so in pain and she was crying, she was hurting.
0:25:57 > 0:26:00It was just awful.
0:26:00 > 0:26:04The accident has left Sarah with traumatic memories of the crash
0:26:04 > 0:26:07on one of Yorkshire's busiest holiday routes.
0:26:07 > 0:26:11Our friends invited us to go to the East Coast in a couple of months.
0:26:11 > 0:26:14We're going, but we're going to take a different route
0:26:14 > 0:26:17because there's no way I'm going to go on Sutton Bank again.
0:26:17 > 0:26:21And Samir's family say they'll never forget the stranger
0:26:21 > 0:26:23who cared for their little girl.
0:26:24 > 0:26:25Thanks for watching.
0:26:36 > 0:26:39Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd