0:00:02 > 0:00:06If you're seriously ill or critically injured up here,
0:00:06 > 0:00:08your life is in real danger.
0:00:08 > 0:00:11Complaining of severe pain.
0:00:11 > 0:00:14Mid 30s, been ejected from a vehicle.
0:00:14 > 0:00:19Hospital's an hour away by road and speed is the only thing that can save you.
0:00:19 > 0:00:22Roger. Helimed 99's en route. Over.
0:00:22 > 0:00:27The Yorkshire Air Ambulance and its highly trained paramedics are scrambled 1,000 times a year.
0:00:27 > 0:00:28"What's happened?"
0:00:28 > 0:00:31"A child's been on the path and a wagon's ran over him."
0:00:31 > 0:00:36Many of its ex-military pilots flew the SAS into action.
0:00:36 > 0:00:39That's not a suitable landing site. This one here is.
0:00:39 > 0:00:44Welcome to the life-and-death world of the Helicopter Heroes.
0:01:04 > 0:01:06Today on Helicopter Heroes...
0:01:06 > 0:01:08A builder's trapped in a trench
0:01:08 > 0:01:12and tons of unstable earth are threatening to engulf him.
0:01:12 > 0:01:15The ground around him has already collapsed.
0:01:15 > 0:01:16He's trapped by his left leg.
0:01:16 > 0:01:18This trucker's trapped in his cab
0:01:18 > 0:01:21and the paramedics are worried.
0:01:21 > 0:01:23Let's just get him out.
0:01:23 > 0:01:27There's a tricky rescue operation to save a teenager who fell down a cliff.
0:01:27 > 0:01:30Alice, bring your arms into your body.
0:01:30 > 0:01:32..a cloud of dust going up in the air.
0:01:32 > 0:01:37And there's another victim of the deadly road bikers can't resist.
0:01:37 > 0:01:39What's your name?
0:01:45 > 0:01:47Building workers live with the risks of the job,
0:01:47 > 0:01:50and they're never in more danger than when digging foundations.
0:01:50 > 0:01:54Just one cubic metre of earth weighs one-and-a-half tons
0:01:54 > 0:01:57and that's more than enough to crush a man to death.
0:01:57 > 0:02:02The building business is one of the UK's most dangerous industries
0:02:02 > 0:02:05and when there's a site accident, all the emergency services know
0:02:05 > 0:02:07the injuries are likely to be serious.
0:02:07 > 0:02:11Today, paramedics Lee Davison and Sammy Wills are heading south
0:02:11 > 0:02:14to a patient who's trapped and in real danger.
0:02:14 > 0:02:18We're going down to a detail at South Yorkshire
0:02:18 > 0:02:21where we believe there's been a building that's collapsed,
0:02:21 > 0:02:25which has trapped what we believe is one patient
0:02:25 > 0:02:30in what they describe as an eight-foot trench.
0:02:30 > 0:02:33The accident happened in the middle of a housing estate
0:02:33 > 0:02:36in the commuter village of Stannington, near Sheffield.
0:02:36 > 0:02:42"There's a little gate. You can just run down the road and then right."
0:02:42 > 0:02:47Pilot Andy Lister can't get his team as close as he'd like.
0:02:47 > 0:02:53- "That's going to be an interesting job."- "Only if somebody's injured."
0:02:54 > 0:02:59Labourer Josh Delaney is trapped up to his chest by tons of earth.
0:02:59 > 0:03:02Fire-fighters are battling to release him,
0:03:02 > 0:03:06but they know more of the eight-foot-deep trench could give way at any time.
0:03:06 > 0:03:10- To me, it's only that corner that's going to drop away.- Yes.
0:03:10 > 0:03:12BOTH TALK AT ONCE
0:03:12 > 0:03:17He and his boss were building an extension when the trench gave way.
0:03:17 > 0:03:20The rain last night's brought it in.
0:03:20 > 0:03:24He weren't supposed to be down there.
0:03:24 > 0:03:27- No neck pain, but we've collared him anyway.- OK.
0:03:27 > 0:03:30The only thing he's saying is, he can't feel his feet.
0:03:30 > 0:03:35They've got a male that's trapped down here in this trench.
0:03:35 > 0:03:40He's trapped about nine foot down. There's quite a bit of earth and clay on him.
0:03:40 > 0:03:44Lee wants to get Helimed 99 as close to the scene as possible
0:03:44 > 0:03:47in case there's a further collapse.
0:03:47 > 0:03:50Try and get the road secured so that nobody else comes down.
0:03:50 > 0:03:54Land on that junction that Andy pointed out, which is right near the incident.
0:03:56 > 0:04:01- They're going to try and land here. - Where?- On the junction. I'm just trying to clear these cars.
0:04:01 > 0:04:06- Shall I go further down? - Go further down the hill, that'd be great. Cheers.
0:04:07 > 0:04:11- Do you think we'll be all right there?- Orange does stand out well, doesn't it?
0:04:11 > 0:04:15There's that little silver car, but we'll be far enough away from it.
0:04:15 > 0:04:17They probably couldn't find the owner.
0:04:17 > 0:04:20We'll try and get on this junction. It's quite tight.
0:04:20 > 0:04:26Ladies! Do you want to go in and shut the door? We're going to put the helicopter on the ground!
0:04:26 > 0:04:28Pilot Andy Lister's an ex-naval officer
0:04:28 > 0:04:31who used to land choppers on the decks of ships.
0:04:31 > 0:04:33I wouldn't want to veer left much more.
0:04:33 > 0:04:39Putting down three tons of helicopter in a suburban cul-de-sac calls for the same skills.
0:04:39 > 0:04:42I've got a stanchion there. I'm not going to go any more.
0:04:42 > 0:04:47With Lee's help, Andy's earning his flying pay today.
0:04:47 > 0:04:51The rotor blades are feet from walls and lampposts.
0:04:51 > 0:04:54But at last, Helimed 99 is down...
0:04:54 > 0:04:57Brilliant, Andy. Well played.
0:04:57 > 0:05:00..to the relief of everyone, including the pilot.
0:05:00 > 0:05:05We don't often land on suburban streets in a domestic environment like this.
0:05:05 > 0:05:08Fortunately, one paramedic is familiar with helicopter operations,
0:05:08 > 0:05:11being a commercial pilot himself.
0:05:11 > 0:05:16We did have a look at the scene when we first came over, so although it's quite tight,
0:05:16 > 0:05:21when you get down, invariably there's always a bit more room than you've got,
0:05:21 > 0:05:24in fact, it's about on the limits, but it'll be fine here.
0:05:24 > 0:05:30Back in the trench, Josh is being kept calm by fire-fighters and a paramedic.
0:05:30 > 0:05:33Even though numbness in his legs is his only symptom,
0:05:33 > 0:05:35it could be very serious.
0:05:35 > 0:05:38Crush injuries can be lethal.
0:05:39 > 0:05:42He's about nine feet down at the moment, in water,
0:05:42 > 0:05:46with a clay type of earth on top of him,
0:05:46 > 0:05:52covering, I think, the lower part of his body, from his tummy downwards,
0:05:52 > 0:05:55so trapping his lower limbs.
0:05:55 > 0:05:58So at the moment, they're working to try and get him free,
0:05:58 > 0:06:02but you've got to try and make the rest of the area safe to be able to do that.
0:06:03 > 0:06:07We're prepped up if you needed to use us.
0:06:07 > 0:06:11An Ambulance Service flying doctor has been called in to advise the team.
0:06:11 > 0:06:17Dave Macklin is a former A&E doctor who's going to help monitor Josh's condition.
0:06:17 > 0:06:18This is Josh, 20 years old.
0:06:18 > 0:06:23- Been digging this trench and it came down on him. He couldn't stop it. - OK.
0:06:23 > 0:06:25No loss of consciousness.
0:06:25 > 0:06:27He feels he's trapped by his left leg.
0:06:27 > 0:06:30Josh. I'm Dave, I'm a doctor with the Ambulance Service.
0:06:30 > 0:06:34Where were you when the ground collapsed?
0:06:34 > 0:06:38- I looked up and the next minute, I saw the whole side come.- OK.
0:06:38 > 0:06:41Is that all right there? Rest on blue.
0:06:41 > 0:06:43It's all right, mate, don't worry.
0:06:43 > 0:06:47It's just a very sharp scratch, OK?
0:06:49 > 0:06:53This tube allows the team to give Josh fluids directly into his blood stream
0:06:53 > 0:06:56if his condition deteriorates,
0:06:56 > 0:06:59and there's already one new worrying sign.
0:06:59 > 0:07:04In terms of spinal immobilisation, he's now got lower-back pain.
0:07:04 > 0:07:06The collapse could've injured his spine.
0:07:07 > 0:07:13But secretly, fire-fighters are more concerned about the security of the earth in front of Josh.
0:07:13 > 0:07:16If it gives way, he will be crushed.
0:07:26 > 0:07:30With a population of over five million people to cover
0:07:30 > 0:07:32and only two air ambulances to scramble,
0:07:32 > 0:07:35the helimed dispatchers have to be careful
0:07:35 > 0:07:38which emergencies they choose to send a helicopter to.
0:07:38 > 0:07:41And sometimes, priorities change.
0:07:43 > 0:07:46The winter weather has hit Yorkshire hard
0:07:46 > 0:07:49and hit its rural communities even harder.
0:07:49 > 0:07:52Everyone's struggling to get anywhere,
0:07:52 > 0:07:54and with many roads impassable,
0:07:54 > 0:07:58even the emergency services are finding it hard to get about.
0:07:59 > 0:08:02But the snow causes less of a problem for the Air Ambulance
0:08:02 > 0:08:07and so the crew of Helimed 99 help with those difficult-to-reach jobs in the Dales.
0:08:07 > 0:08:11- Oh, dear!- It's all right, love.
0:08:11 > 0:08:15A 98-year-old has fallen down the stairs in her remote farmhouse.
0:08:15 > 0:08:17You've fallen down the stairs.
0:08:17 > 0:08:19While the helicopter crew is happy to help,
0:08:19 > 0:08:23they're still on call, should there be a more urgent need for their skills.
0:08:23 > 0:08:26And that's exactly what's happening.
0:08:26 > 0:08:28There's a wagon off the road at Addingham.
0:08:28 > 0:08:34Paramedics hate to leave their patients, but James knows the lorry crash sounds serious.
0:08:34 > 0:08:39"Just got it as a male, in his 40s, with a head injury."
0:08:39 > 0:08:44So the land ambulance crew are going to continue to care for their elderly patient
0:08:44 > 0:08:46and Helimed 98 are off.
0:08:46 > 0:08:52- Where's the actual job?- Er, it's just south-east of Addingham.
0:08:52 > 0:08:55Just on the road between Ilkley and Addingham.
0:08:56 > 0:08:58Sounds like a more serious incident's come in.
0:08:58 > 0:09:01We've assisted the crew
0:09:01 > 0:09:04and they're happy to deal with the lady, take her to hospital.
0:09:04 > 0:09:08But reports have come in that there's a wagon come off the road,
0:09:08 > 0:09:10patient's got a head injury, still trapped at present,
0:09:10 > 0:09:15so we'll send our resources that way and see what assistance we can give.
0:09:17 > 0:09:22Mechanic Brian Feather has lost control of the lorry he was driving in the icy conditions.
0:09:22 > 0:09:26He's crossed the road for no apparent reason,
0:09:26 > 0:09:31mounted the offside footpath and come down into this wooded bank.
0:09:31 > 0:09:33- He said he was suffering from pain. - Down that side.
0:09:33 > 0:09:37- He was talking? He wasn't lucid? - No, he was talking.- No problem.
0:09:37 > 0:09:41Just a bit dazed and confused at the minute.
0:09:41 > 0:09:45Now trapped in his cab, it's proving difficult for anyone to treat him.
0:09:45 > 0:09:48- I can't get in to... - You can't get on the other side?
0:09:48 > 0:09:53Although he's been talking, he's quickly becoming unresponsive.
0:09:53 > 0:09:55James knows he needs to act fast.
0:09:55 > 0:10:00You can squeeze someone through that window. I don't mind having a try.
0:10:00 > 0:10:03- Can you squeeze through? - Can you not climb over him?
0:10:03 > 0:10:08If you get cutters on this wing mirror, we can get in through the back.
0:10:08 > 0:10:14James forces his way between the trees and the crumpled lorry to reach his patient.
0:10:14 > 0:10:16Just crush me, lads!
0:10:16 > 0:10:21It could be risky, but there are few options. Brian's treatment must come first.
0:10:21 > 0:10:24- Brian!- Brian! - The ambulance, what's happened?
0:10:26 > 0:10:29Brian, can you tell him what you told me?
0:10:29 > 0:10:31Brian!
0:10:31 > 0:10:34With accidents like this, the paramedics have two choices,
0:10:34 > 0:10:38either they can take their time to make sure they get their patient out safely,
0:10:38 > 0:10:43or if the situation's serious, get him out and to hospital quickly.
0:10:43 > 0:10:47And as Brian's becoming unconscious, James makes that difficult decision.
0:10:47 > 0:10:50Brian!
0:10:50 > 0:10:55All right, lads, we won't mess about. Let's just get him out.
0:10:55 > 0:10:58Rushing to get a patient out of a situation like this
0:10:58 > 0:11:00could cause him further injuries.
0:11:00 > 0:11:05But taking too long could cost him his life, and time is running out.
0:11:05 > 0:11:07Brian!
0:11:07 > 0:11:09Brian!
0:11:21 > 0:11:25Psychologists will tell you that teenagers' brains are different from adults',
0:11:25 > 0:11:27and not just in the obvious ways.
0:11:27 > 0:11:31One of the key differences is how they perceive danger
0:11:31 > 0:11:36and that's why risk-taking often lands them in the care of the Helimed team.
0:11:37 > 0:11:41On a hillside in West Yorkshire, a major rescue operation is under way
0:11:41 > 0:11:46after a teenage girl tripped and fell 30 feet down a cliff face.
0:11:47 > 0:11:53Helimed paramedic Pete Vallance and flying doctor Steve Rowe are about to join it.
0:11:54 > 0:11:56- Hi.- They're up there, the team leader.
0:11:56 > 0:12:00There's three other paramedics up there and a DMA.
0:12:01 > 0:12:04Although it's quite steep, it's loose underfoot.
0:12:04 > 0:12:06There's a lot of loose stones
0:12:06 > 0:12:09and it's easy for someone to fall and injure themselves.
0:12:09 > 0:12:14It's going to mean a tricky climb up a rocky slope to reach 13-year-old Alice Bell,
0:12:14 > 0:12:17who was enjoying a day off school with friends
0:12:17 > 0:12:19when she fell from these rocks.
0:12:19 > 0:12:22She's badly bruised and dazed.
0:12:23 > 0:12:26Are you thinking of doing a hand-over-hand?
0:12:26 > 0:12:30No, we're going to walk it down.
0:12:30 > 0:12:33- OK.- Just in case somebody loses their footing.
0:12:33 > 0:12:37Local fire-fighters and the Ambulance Service's specialist rescue team
0:12:37 > 0:12:39have been trying to comfort Alice.
0:12:39 > 0:12:42Now Pete and Steve are taking over her treatment.
0:12:42 > 0:12:46Alice, bring your arms into your body, sweetheart.
0:12:46 > 0:12:49Alice, bring your arms into your body.
0:12:49 > 0:12:51She's moving herself, but she won't move by anybody else.
0:12:51 > 0:12:54- Keep your arms in. - SHE GROANS
0:12:54 > 0:12:59They've had to leave Helimed 98 in the nearest available landing site,
0:12:59 > 0:13:01nearly half a mile away.
0:13:01 > 0:13:06Alice, relax. Take some nice steady breaths. You're all right. You've had a fall.
0:13:06 > 0:13:10- My dogs will wonder about me. - Who will?
0:13:10 > 0:13:13- My dogs.- You'll be fine by tomorrow.
0:13:13 > 0:13:19The accident's happened only a few hundred yards from Alice's home on the outskirts of Dewsbury.
0:13:19 > 0:13:24She's in pain and Pete suspects she may have fractured her pelvis. She's very confused.
0:13:24 > 0:13:27- Where do you live, love? - What do you mean?
0:13:27 > 0:13:30- Where's your house? - SLURRED SPEECH
0:13:30 > 0:13:32OK. Good girl.
0:13:32 > 0:13:38Listen, guys! I don't want seven or eight different voices. When we move, Chris is in charge.
0:13:38 > 0:13:45It's time to move Alice. Her rescuers know one trip could result in a serious accident.
0:13:45 > 0:13:47Are we all ready for lifting?
0:13:47 > 0:13:51Alice, we're going to take you to hospital to be checked out.
0:13:51 > 0:13:57- Do I have to?- I'm afraid you do! You've bumped your head and your legs, as well.
0:13:57 > 0:14:01Doctor Steve's an experienced mountain rescue volunteer.
0:14:01 > 0:14:05He normally treats climbers who have come off remote rock faces.
0:14:05 > 0:14:08Today, his skills are going to be vital
0:14:08 > 0:14:11for a patient in the heart of a housing estate.
0:14:11 > 0:14:14Alice, how are you doing, my love? Are you OK?
0:14:14 > 0:14:17She's got a lot of pain around her pelvis.
0:14:17 > 0:14:22She's sustained a head injury, which we're not sure of the severity of.
0:14:22 > 0:14:27She looks like she's had a period of unconsciousness. As such, we'll take her into LGI.
0:14:27 > 0:14:32Now that Alice is down and safe, there's considerable relief.
0:14:32 > 0:14:34Despite 50 emergency service workers,
0:14:34 > 0:14:37this wasn't a routine rescue.
0:14:37 > 0:14:39How are you feeling now?
0:14:39 > 0:14:41- Sore.- Sore?
0:14:41 > 0:14:44Do you know you're having a fly in a helicopter?
0:14:44 > 0:14:46INDISTINCT SPEECH
0:14:46 > 0:14:48I fell over on my skates on my face the other day,
0:14:48 > 0:14:51- so it's painful on my face.- Right.
0:14:51 > 0:14:55- You've bumped your right cheek tonight. Or today.- How delightful.
0:14:55 > 0:14:58Yes! You look like you've been in a boxing ring!
0:14:59 > 0:15:02Doctor Steve suspects Alice may have broken bones,
0:15:02 > 0:15:06but only X-rays can confirm that diagnosis.
0:15:07 > 0:15:12She's going to be flown direct to Leeds General Infirmary.
0:15:14 > 0:15:17- Ready, steady, move. - SHE GROANS
0:15:17 > 0:15:21OK. Soon have you sorted, all right, Alice?
0:15:21 > 0:15:23You're on the top of Leeds Hospital now.
0:15:23 > 0:15:26Not many people get to be here.
0:15:26 > 0:15:30Both Pete and Steve have been to simpler mountain rescues.
0:15:30 > 0:15:35For an accident in the suburbs, Alice's case was as complicated as it gets.
0:15:35 > 0:15:40The worst part of that was, the rocks that were underneath the grass made it unsteady.
0:15:40 > 0:15:42Even walking down, you could've stumbled.
0:15:42 > 0:15:44Helimed 98's returning to base,
0:15:44 > 0:15:50but its patient spends the next few hours being examined, X-rayed and scanned.
0:15:50 > 0:15:53Finally, the LGI's doctors decide she has no broken bones,
0:15:53 > 0:15:57but she has lacerated her liver and she's badly bruised.
0:15:57 > 0:16:03We were just wandering around and having a nice look at the view.
0:16:03 > 0:16:08We sat down for a bit and then I must've fallen as I was trying to get up.
0:16:08 > 0:16:10It was quite terrifying when I actually woke up
0:16:10 > 0:16:13because I didn't know what had happened.
0:16:13 > 0:16:19The first thing I remember is, I was surrounded by fire engines and police officers.
0:16:19 > 0:16:25Alice is a sporty teenager and she's most upset that she'll lose her place in the school netball team.
0:16:25 > 0:16:28But after just a few weeks away from the sport she loves,
0:16:28 > 0:16:30she goes on to make a full recovery.
0:16:36 > 0:16:40Now, let's get back to the battle to save building worker Josh Delaney,
0:16:40 > 0:16:43trapped by his legs in an unstable trench
0:16:43 > 0:16:46that's threatening to completely collapse.
0:16:46 > 0:16:52In South Yorkshire, the plight of a building worker trapped in a trench is headline news.
0:16:52 > 0:16:57"BBC Radio Sheffield news. An air ambulance has landed in Stannington this afternoon
0:16:57 > 0:17:01"to try and rescue someone trapped in a trench there.
0:17:01 > 0:17:05"The emergency services got the call just after one o'clock this afternoon.
0:17:05 > 0:17:07"Our reporter is at the scene and joins us now.
0:17:07 > 0:17:12- "Tom, what do we know?" - "The emergency services are here..."
0:17:12 > 0:17:14Josh Delaney was on his first week at work
0:17:14 > 0:17:18when the eight-foot-deep trench he was working in collapsed after overnight rain.
0:17:18 > 0:17:24Fire-fighters are trying to shore up the sides of the trench, but they fear a further collapse.
0:17:24 > 0:17:27We need to be cautious of how stable the trench is,
0:17:27 > 0:17:32in terms of the ground around him that's already collapsed.
0:17:32 > 0:17:37But if the fire service can create enough space, we may be able to lift him out.
0:17:37 > 0:17:41But it's a little too early to say exactly how we're going to get him out.
0:17:42 > 0:17:45His rescuers have now managed to free Josh's upper legs.
0:17:45 > 0:17:49They could still face a long wait until he's finally freed,
0:17:49 > 0:17:52as does the owner of the house.
0:17:52 > 0:17:57I thought there must've been a bomb or something gone off. It was awful. I started shaking.
0:17:57 > 0:17:59You don't know what to expect, do you?
0:17:59 > 0:18:02You think the worst, don't you?
0:18:02 > 0:18:05ALL TALK AT ONCE
0:18:05 > 0:18:10The left leg's totally immobilised, can't move it. The right, he can. Lower back, as well.
0:18:10 > 0:18:13As soon as we get this bit here, have him.
0:18:14 > 0:18:17Doctor Dave's amazed Josh isn't badly hurt,
0:18:17 > 0:18:22but the lack of feeling in his legs and pain in his back are worrying.
0:18:22 > 0:18:25He's trapped in a trench that's about eight-foot deep
0:18:25 > 0:18:31and he's probably only trapped by his feet and lower legs at the moment,
0:18:31 > 0:18:33but it's a really confined space.
0:18:33 > 0:18:36He doesn't appear to have any other injuries.
0:18:36 > 0:18:41The fire brigade are using steel beams and airbags to shore up its walls.
0:18:41 > 0:18:45But a huge pile of mud and clay is threatening to collapse on Josh
0:18:45 > 0:18:49and they've been forced to remove it shovel by shovel.
0:18:49 > 0:18:51The earth that we've been moving is predominantly clay.
0:18:51 > 0:18:54We've had a bit of rain, so you can imagine,
0:18:54 > 0:18:58anybody that's ever moved any earth with a shovel and a wheelbarrow,
0:18:58 > 0:19:01it quickly generates a lot of weight.
0:19:01 > 0:19:04So it's a very delicate operation. We want to make sure
0:19:04 > 0:19:07that our operations don't impact on the safety of this casualty.
0:19:07 > 0:19:14Can we take this out of here so we can put another one of these at the opposite side?
0:19:14 > 0:19:17- Are we all right doing that? - If you're happy.
0:19:17 > 0:19:21I've been told that the weight of everything is completely on that.
0:19:21 > 0:19:26The foundations which Josh was working in are extremely deep for an extension.
0:19:26 > 0:19:31But this village is built on a hill, and building inspectors had asked for more digging.
0:19:31 > 0:19:34It's making his rescue even more difficult.
0:19:34 > 0:19:39With the large amount of earth that's being moved and trapped into the individual,
0:19:39 > 0:19:42there's a potential there for life-threatening injuries.
0:19:42 > 0:19:45Our main priority today
0:19:45 > 0:19:47is to stabilise any further movement of earth,
0:19:47 > 0:19:51which will allow the paramedics to do their job, stabilise the casualty,
0:19:51 > 0:19:54and then we'll take care of the extrication part.
0:19:57 > 0:20:02Josh's boss is worried, too, but not as much as one of his friends, who's on the phone.
0:20:02 > 0:20:07You don't need a nervous breakdown. He's all right. They're taking him out now.
0:20:07 > 0:20:11- Shout to Em!- Hello!- Did you hear him?
0:20:11 > 0:20:14BACKGROUND CHATTER
0:20:15 > 0:20:20It was a friend of his. My young 'un's girlfriend, that's his best friend.
0:20:20 > 0:20:25All right. Left knee. The left leg is totally immobilised.
0:20:25 > 0:20:28They're about to try and lift Josh free,
0:20:28 > 0:20:33but everyone knows the movement that entails could cause more earth to collapse.
0:20:38 > 0:20:41Coming up... Fire-fighters prepare to free Josh,
0:20:41 > 0:20:45but it's an operation fraught with risk.
0:20:45 > 0:20:49- Lift. - ALL TALK AT ONCE
0:20:56 > 0:20:59Let's return to the rescue operation in Wharfedale,
0:20:59 > 0:21:03where a lorry driver's been badly hurt in the snow.
0:21:04 > 0:21:06Brian Feather is trapped in the cab of his lorry
0:21:06 > 0:21:09after it spun off the road in the icy conditions.
0:21:09 > 0:21:13Paramedic James Vine has managed to clamber in beside him
0:21:13 > 0:21:16and knows Brian needs urgent treatment.
0:21:16 > 0:21:21We're just going to lift him round so he's square with me and his feet should follow you out.
0:21:21 > 0:21:25Getting Brian out of the truck isn't going to be easy.
0:21:25 > 0:21:27James thinks he may've injured his spine
0:21:27 > 0:21:31and one wrong move could leave him paralysed.
0:21:31 > 0:21:35Everybody happy? Everybody got a bit? It'll be a wee bit sore, Bri, OK?
0:21:35 > 0:21:38Ready on three? One, two, three, move.
0:21:38 > 0:21:40- And hold. - HE GROANS
0:21:40 > 0:21:45Take it nice and steady and walk him round to that flat bit and we'll get him sorted from there.
0:21:45 > 0:21:49How the police officers respond depends on how serious the injuries are.
0:21:49 > 0:21:54Brian appears so badly injured that there's a chance he might not survive.
0:21:54 > 0:21:59- What's his condition? - Difficult to assess at the moment. Probably a head injury.
0:21:59 > 0:22:03- Fatal or not fatal?- Potentially. - Potentially. OK.
0:22:04 > 0:22:07Now safely out of the woods and on the road,
0:22:07 > 0:22:11Brian's injuries can be properly assessed for the first time.
0:22:11 > 0:22:14Brian, big deep breath in for me, chief.
0:22:15 > 0:22:19Great job. Smashing. Any pain in your chest?
0:22:19 > 0:22:24Any pain here? Lift this leg up for me.
0:22:24 > 0:22:29We should be getting the patient on board in the next ten minutes, so ETA 10 minutes after that.
0:22:29 > 0:22:32We'll soon get you warm.
0:22:35 > 0:22:40It'll take just ten minutes to get Brian from here, a field at the side of his crashed lorry,
0:22:40 > 0:22:45to the emergency care he needs at Leeds General Infirmary.
0:22:49 > 0:22:54The hospital's fire-fighting team have already been out to clear the snow from the landing deck.
0:22:54 > 0:22:58It means Steve can land right on top of the hospital.
0:23:00 > 0:23:05We'll get you out of the helicopter and onto a stretcher now, mate.
0:23:05 > 0:23:07A specialist trauma team
0:23:07 > 0:23:10is waiting for Brian in the Accident & Emergency department
0:23:10 > 0:23:13and his treatment is now in their hands.
0:23:16 > 0:23:22He's a 40-year-old male lorry driver. High-speed road, approximately 50mph.
0:23:22 > 0:23:25Down an embankment into trees, through various trees.
0:23:25 > 0:23:30Extensive frontal damage to the cab and bull's-eye impression on the windscreen.
0:23:30 > 0:23:32With a scenario like this,
0:23:32 > 0:23:36everyone's expecting to find some very serious injuries.
0:23:38 > 0:23:43Over the next 36 hours, doctors do a series of tests and scans.
0:23:43 > 0:23:47For Brian's family, there's a nervous wait.
0:23:48 > 0:23:51But Brian had luck on his side.
0:23:53 > 0:23:56A month later, he's back at his workshop.
0:23:58 > 0:24:01He broke three ribs and is getting better fast,
0:24:01 > 0:24:06but he has some vivid memories of the crash that could so easily have killed him.
0:24:06 > 0:24:09I just heard an almighty bang from the nearside,
0:24:09 > 0:24:13and the steering wheel was snatched out of my hands and veered to the middle of the road.
0:24:13 > 0:24:16All I could think of when I could see the tree,
0:24:17 > 0:24:20I shot off the road and down the ditch and into the trees,
0:24:20 > 0:24:24and I thought, I need to get out of the driver's seat.
0:24:24 > 0:24:27I got out the driver's seat to the back of the cab,
0:24:27 > 0:24:31thinking that if it did hit the tree,
0:24:31 > 0:24:36it'd knock the wheel into the driver's seat, which it did, so I was lucky that I got out.
0:24:36 > 0:24:39I felt as though my life was draining away.
0:24:39 > 0:24:45They were geeing me on. I could hear one say, "He's going. We'll have to get him out."
0:24:45 > 0:24:49So, yes, I'm a very lucky sort of a chap.
0:24:59 > 0:25:02If you work for the emergency services,
0:25:02 > 0:25:06you soon get to know one of the facts of life about serious road accidents -
0:25:06 > 0:25:08they often happen in the same places.
0:25:08 > 0:25:12Accident blackspots are real and they're killers.
0:25:15 > 0:25:18Bikers love the North Yorkshire market town of Helmsley.
0:25:18 > 0:25:23They're attracted by local roads, with their sweeping bends and long inclines.
0:25:23 > 0:25:26Motorcycle magazines recommend them.
0:25:26 > 0:25:31But the B1257, a spectacular route across the Moors to urban Teesside,
0:25:31 > 0:25:36has a terrible reputation among the emergency services sent to rescue the victims
0:25:36 > 0:25:39when bikers get it wrong.
0:25:40 > 0:25:43It's nicknamed the Helmsley TT
0:25:43 > 0:25:47and these videos posted on the internet, featuring irresponsible riders,
0:25:47 > 0:25:51show the incredible and illegal speeds they get up to.
0:25:53 > 0:25:56Most bikers condemn the actions of the few.
0:25:56 > 0:26:00They ride the road safely and within its limits.
0:26:00 > 0:26:04But the thrill of its high-speed bends is too tempting for some riders
0:26:04 > 0:26:09and the consequences of a high-speed crash can be tragic.
0:26:09 > 0:26:13As we were approaching the bush there on the left-hand side,
0:26:13 > 0:26:17we just saw a cloud of smoke and the bike just went in the air.
0:26:17 > 0:26:22We didn't actually see the rider. We got out the car and found him in the grass verge there.
0:26:22 > 0:26:27The Helimed crew are regulars along the notorious 15-mile stretch.
0:26:27 > 0:26:30Hiya. Can somebody tell me what happened?
0:26:30 > 0:26:33The biker is seriously injured.
0:26:33 > 0:26:36He has demolished a dry stone wall,
0:26:36 > 0:26:39not with his bike, but with his body.
0:26:39 > 0:26:41HE SCREAMS
0:26:41 > 0:26:47Just a minute, mate. Is that all right, where I'm feeling you?
0:26:47 > 0:26:50All we saw was a cloud of dust going up in the air,
0:26:50 > 0:26:53plus the bike with no rider on it flipping up in the air.
0:26:53 > 0:26:56That landed, and as we came round the other side,
0:26:56 > 0:26:59we could see the bike but not the rider.
0:26:59 > 0:27:01So we got out the car, ventured up the road
0:27:01 > 0:27:04and found him laid here against the wall.
0:27:04 > 0:27:06These walls have stood for centuries.
0:27:06 > 0:27:10The paramedics know the force of the impact must've been huge.
0:27:10 > 0:27:14I'm going to feel down your back again, just like my colleague did.
0:27:14 > 0:27:17HE SCREAMS Just tell me if it hurts anywhere.
0:27:17 > 0:27:21The biker had overtaken some of the people who are now helping him,
0:27:21 > 0:27:23and at high speed.
0:27:23 > 0:27:28About two miles before this point, two motorcyclists came past me, a red and black bike,
0:27:28 > 0:27:30travelling at a fairly high rate of knots,
0:27:30 > 0:27:36Er, I'd estimate above 100mph, going on probably closer to 130-ish.
0:27:36 > 0:27:41I know you're in pain. It's important you stay still and we do things in the right order.
0:27:41 > 0:27:45I came across the skidmark just up behind the corner
0:27:45 > 0:27:48and I knew what it was, I knew which bikers it was.
0:27:48 > 0:27:50The way they came past me, I was expecting it.
0:27:50 > 0:27:55You can't move just yet, mate. We need to move you steady.
0:27:55 > 0:27:59You've come off and demolished a bit of a wall, so we need to make sure you're not injured too much
0:27:59 > 0:28:02and that we don't injure you any more.
0:28:02 > 0:28:06We're going to get your helmet off, get you a collar on and get you off to hospital.
0:28:06 > 0:28:09They drive like lunatics. My parents live in Thornton Dale,
0:28:09 > 0:28:15and it's known locally as the Helmsley TT, which gives you an idea of how fast people drive.
0:28:15 > 0:28:17We're going to have to move this.
0:28:17 > 0:28:22Put him half onto the board there, where this guy is.
0:28:22 > 0:28:27Several bikers have stopped to help. They did the right thing not moving him.
0:28:27 > 0:28:32When I was younger I saw a bike accident. The paramedic said, "Don't move the helmet."
0:28:32 > 0:28:36Every accident I've been to, the helmet's the last thing to come off.
0:28:36 > 0:28:39So I would never take the helmet off.
0:28:40 > 0:28:44The police have begun an investigation into the cause of the accident.
0:28:44 > 0:28:48Because of the number of crashes involving bikers on this road,
0:28:48 > 0:28:51they have singled it out for special attention.
0:28:51 > 0:28:56I know North Yorkshire Police have got a crackdown on motorcyclists, but it doesn't stop them all.
0:28:56 > 0:28:57It reduced it this year,
0:28:57 > 0:29:01but there's still people who think they can drive
0:29:01 > 0:29:04at stupid speeds on country roads and get away with it.
0:29:04 > 0:29:07Every now and then, they lose the fight.
0:29:07 > 0:29:11Has everybody got something? Ready, steady, lift.
0:29:12 > 0:29:18Helimed 99 is going back up the Helmsley TT road at 150mph,
0:29:18 > 0:29:21a speed some of the bikers who ride it try and match.
0:29:21 > 0:29:25It leads to Middlesbrough and the James Cook Hospital.
0:29:25 > 0:29:28Their patient was quickly taken in for a full body scan.
0:29:28 > 0:29:31It revealed injuries that put him in intensive care
0:29:31 > 0:29:35and kept him in hospital for several weeks.
0:29:35 > 0:29:38Thanks to the modern tradition of placing flowers
0:29:38 > 0:29:42or roadside memorials near the scenes of fatal accidents,
0:29:42 > 0:29:46dangerous stretches of road are now easier to identify.
0:29:46 > 0:29:50But they still don't prevent more people from getting hurt.
0:29:51 > 0:29:55Around 3,000 people are killed on the UK's roads every year.
0:29:55 > 0:30:00One day in 1993, four of them died here.
0:30:00 > 0:30:03Their memorial is there as a warning to other road users,
0:30:03 > 0:30:07but many don't see it, or ignore it.
0:30:09 > 0:30:12Today, one young driver has become the latest casualty
0:30:12 > 0:30:15of this notorious stretch near Wakefield.
0:30:15 > 0:30:20- So, he's been inside the car? - Yes. He's got out himself through the back window, he thinks.
0:30:20 > 0:30:24He was very dazed when he got out. Very, very dazed.
0:30:24 > 0:30:26He will be a bit shook up, won't you?
0:30:26 > 0:30:30This Mini's 23-year-old driver needs the Helimed paramedics' help.
0:30:30 > 0:30:36I was driving my wagon up the road, I saw the Mini overtake two cars.
0:30:36 > 0:30:39The next thing I saw was the Mini airborne, flying into this field
0:30:39 > 0:30:43and the young guy on the stretcher here climbing out of it, basically.
0:30:43 > 0:30:45Very lucky. Very, very lucky.
0:30:45 > 0:30:49What makes one road more dangerous than another
0:30:49 > 0:30:52is defined simply by the number of serious accidents on it,
0:30:52 > 0:30:57and this straight road's tragic history is well known to the emergency services.
0:30:57 > 0:31:01Because of the nature of the road, people tend to go really fast across it.
0:31:01 > 0:31:04There have been a number of incidents along here.
0:31:04 > 0:31:06I noticed the scar on your tummy.
0:31:06 > 0:31:11It turns out this is the second major smash he's been in.
0:31:11 > 0:31:15- Another car crash. - Just look at me. Open your eyes.
0:31:17 > 0:31:2023-year-old Luke Johnson's Mini is a write-off.
0:31:20 > 0:31:23As is the other car involved.
0:31:23 > 0:31:25The drivers are lucky to be alive.
0:31:25 > 0:31:29This young man's been doing an overtake and it's all gone wrong.
0:31:29 > 0:31:33I think the car's pulled in front and he's ended up coming off worse.
0:31:33 > 0:31:36He's got a substantial laceration, as the crew reported,
0:31:36 > 0:31:39to his face, all the way to his chin.
0:31:39 > 0:31:42We're going to see if we can get him into Plastic directly at LGI.
0:31:42 > 0:31:46Even with safety belts on and airbags having gone off,
0:31:46 > 0:31:50the stresses on the human body in a rolling car are immense.
0:31:50 > 0:31:55There's a strong possibility Luke could have serious internal injuries,
0:31:55 > 0:31:57as well as the visible ones.
0:31:57 > 0:32:00Ready, steady.
0:32:02 > 0:32:04Roll. OK.
0:32:04 > 0:32:07If you just want to lower back for us, Luke.
0:32:07 > 0:32:10Are you all right?
0:32:10 > 0:32:14The infamous road has claimed another casualty.
0:32:15 > 0:32:19A few days later, Luke's car is back at his home.
0:32:19 > 0:32:22Luckily, its owner is in better condition.
0:32:22 > 0:32:26Luke escaped the rollover with little more than a few bruises
0:32:26 > 0:32:29and after tests in hospital, he was released.
0:32:29 > 0:32:34I had quite a lot of bruising on my shoulder, my legs,
0:32:34 > 0:32:39so I've come out pretty light from, you know, from what happened.
0:32:39 > 0:32:44Not much running through my head, but I thought, "This is my time."
0:32:44 > 0:32:48Luckily, there was a stretch of grass where I could come to a halt.
0:32:48 > 0:32:51That road's supposed to be pretty bad
0:32:51 > 0:32:53for people dying and having crashes,
0:32:53 > 0:32:56so it is a lesson learnt.
0:32:56 > 0:33:0018 years after the tragedy that led to the building of this memorial,
0:33:00 > 0:33:03the local emergency services know that Luke's accident
0:33:03 > 0:33:05is unlikely to be the last time
0:33:05 > 0:33:07they will be called to this junction.
0:33:07 > 0:33:12When I was a copper, they told me that there was no such thing as a dangerous road,
0:33:12 > 0:33:14just dangerous driving.
0:33:14 > 0:33:17But the reality is, some stretches of carriageway
0:33:17 > 0:33:21still manage to catch out motorists on a regular basis.
0:33:22 > 0:33:27It's one of the most scenic, but also one of the most lethal roads in Britain.
0:33:27 > 0:33:29This is the A628,
0:33:29 > 0:33:33which crosses the Peak District from Sheffield to Manchester.
0:33:33 > 0:33:36It's in the top-ten most dangerous roads in the country.
0:33:36 > 0:33:42Today, the crew of Helimed 98 are on their way to yet another serious crash.
0:33:42 > 0:33:47As we come over here, we should start seeing it down to the right.
0:33:47 > 0:33:51And then we should see the road crossing us pretty much.
0:33:51 > 0:33:55We've got reports a lorry has gone into a car.
0:33:55 > 0:33:57The initial report says two persons trapped.
0:33:57 > 0:34:01They've been trapped for about 45 minutes.
0:34:01 > 0:34:06We've got a 15-minute transit, so by the time we get there, about an hour they've been trapped.
0:34:07 > 0:34:12We've got the wooded area and the big slope on the right,
0:34:12 > 0:34:16the river on the left, so the landing area might be tight.
0:34:17 > 0:34:22Paramedics and fire-fighters have already been trying to free the driver for nearly an hour,
0:34:22 > 0:34:24but he's still trapped.
0:34:24 > 0:34:26RADIO COMMUNICATION
0:34:26 > 0:34:30We're on the ground. Just have a look first, nearest new road to where we are.
0:34:30 > 0:34:34Gentleman's got quite a significant head injury. Over.
0:34:35 > 0:34:39The car is wedged between a lorry and a steep bank
0:34:39 > 0:34:42and the paramedics' work is being made all the more difficult
0:34:42 > 0:34:45because the trapped driver doesn't speak English.
0:34:45 > 0:34:49- We've got a non English-speaking gentleman here.- OK.
0:34:49 > 0:34:54- He's combative. I've tried two attempts to stick a line in him. - But he won't let you.- He's strong.
0:34:54 > 0:34:57I would say his condition is poor.
0:34:57 > 0:35:00He's got extensive facial and head injuries
0:35:00 > 0:35:03and could possibly have some underlying internal injuries
0:35:03 > 0:35:06that have to be investigated further at the A&E.
0:35:06 > 0:35:10He's got a bad facial injury. He's got a hole in the side of his cheek.
0:35:10 > 0:35:12He doesn't speak English.
0:35:12 > 0:35:15The accident has blocked the Woodhead Pass,
0:35:15 > 0:35:18one of the main routes between Sheffield and Manchester.
0:35:18 > 0:35:24The police are faced with a mystery as the driver can't tell them what's happened.
0:35:24 > 0:35:27But some people who saw the crash say the car had been seen driving
0:35:27 > 0:35:31about a quarter of a mile on the wrong side of the road.
0:35:32 > 0:35:36He's got quite, er, bad facial injuries.
0:35:36 > 0:35:40He's been trapped in a car for about 45 minutes.
0:35:40 > 0:35:42We've not been able to get any obs on him as yet
0:35:42 > 0:35:46because he can't speak English and he's also being quite combative.
0:35:46 > 0:35:49He has calmed down now, so we'll try and get some obs on him.
0:35:49 > 0:35:52Try and put a line in...
0:35:52 > 0:35:56The paramedics are having trouble treating their foreign patient.
0:35:58 > 0:36:03The language barrier and the effects of the head injury have made him aggressive,
0:36:03 > 0:36:05and that's a big worry for Paul.
0:36:05 > 0:36:09- We might be as quick going up to Leeds with him.- Yes.
0:36:09 > 0:36:13But with him being combative, I want to assess him before we get him out.
0:36:13 > 0:36:18A passenger who was also in the car managed to get himself out of this twisted metal.
0:36:18 > 0:36:20But he doesn't speak any English either.
0:36:20 > 0:36:25It means the paramedics aren't sure who it is they're treating or where he's from.
0:36:25 > 0:36:28The information that we were given was very scant.
0:36:28 > 0:36:33Very little details on the patient and what exactly happened.
0:36:33 > 0:36:35- Starting?- Yes. Thanks.
0:36:35 > 0:36:37The driver's being flown to hospital in Sheffield
0:36:37 > 0:36:43where an interpreter is available to help doctors diagnose his injuries.
0:36:43 > 0:36:49He's later released. Another statistic in the grim record of the Woodhead Pass.
0:36:50 > 0:36:54The victims of our accident blackspots...
0:36:54 > 0:37:00Now, let's return to the operation to free a builder trapped on a site in South Yorkshire.
0:37:01 > 0:37:04In a suburban street on the outskirts of Sheffield,
0:37:04 > 0:37:07Helimed 99 is standing by to fly the builder to hospital.
0:37:07 > 0:37:11- Lie the long board flat there.- Yes.
0:37:11 > 0:37:17Somebody at either side. Down onto the board.
0:37:17 > 0:37:20Fire-fighters are about to try and lift Josh Delaney free
0:37:20 > 0:37:23from the collapsed trench in which he was working.
0:37:23 > 0:37:27Ambulance service doctor Dave Macklin will supervise the rescue.
0:37:27 > 0:37:30But this operation is fraught with danger.
0:37:30 > 0:37:34A cubic-metre of earth weighs more than a ton.
0:37:34 > 0:37:36Several metres are threatening to collapse.
0:37:36 > 0:37:40It would inevitably be fatal for Josh.
0:37:40 > 0:37:45Try and place him down, because we can't stand over this hole.
0:37:45 > 0:37:49Now that you've got the tree out the way, we can probably put the board there.
0:37:49 > 0:37:51It's time to take the risk.
0:37:51 > 0:37:53- Is anybody not ready?- On your call.
0:37:53 > 0:37:55Ready?
0:37:55 > 0:37:59- All right, Josh?- Yes. - All right, lift.
0:37:59 > 0:38:03- Lift. - ALL TALK AT ONCE
0:38:05 > 0:38:10Agonisingly slowly, Josh is being lifted out of danger.
0:38:10 > 0:38:12Either side. One hand.
0:38:12 > 0:38:14But the medics are still concerned.
0:38:14 > 0:38:20They're keeping his back straight so his rescue can't worsen any spinal injury.
0:38:21 > 0:38:24He'll be strapped into a splint until they can rule it out.
0:38:24 > 0:38:26Slide.
0:38:26 > 0:38:30After more than an hour, he's out of danger.
0:38:30 > 0:38:33But how serious are his injuries?
0:38:33 > 0:38:37OK, mate, just some breaths in and out for me. And again.
0:38:37 > 0:38:41Dr Dave's examination is painstaking.
0:38:41 > 0:38:46- If I press on your tummy, does it hurt at all?- No. - Not even a little bit?- No.
0:38:46 > 0:38:49The verdict is remarkable.
0:38:49 > 0:38:53- Is that hurting at all, where I'm pressing?- No.- Not at all?
0:38:53 > 0:38:57Josh appears to be unhurt, certainly not enough to justify
0:38:57 > 0:39:00a tricky take-off from the middle of a housing estate.
0:39:00 > 0:39:05Our aircraft is in the way, and now that we know the patient isn't that poorly,
0:39:05 > 0:39:06we're able to get out the way
0:39:06 > 0:39:09so the land ambulance can drive to the hospital.
0:39:09 > 0:39:12The young guy was on a week's trial with the company,
0:39:12 > 0:39:17so a bit of jumping in at the deep end, effectively!
0:39:18 > 0:39:20For Helimed 99, it's back to base.
0:39:20 > 0:39:24It looks like this case is now a happy news story.
0:39:24 > 0:39:28"Radio Sheffield news. A 21-year-old man has been taken to hospital
0:39:28 > 0:39:30"after being trapped in a trench in Sheffield.
0:39:30 > 0:39:32"He had to be freed by fire crews,
0:39:32 > 0:39:36"but was taken to the Northern General Hospital with only minor leg injuries."
0:39:36 > 0:39:41Scott came out to me and said, "Don't worry, he's all right."
0:39:41 > 0:39:46But until you see them yourself, you don't always know that. You just fear the worst.
0:39:46 > 0:39:49It must've been a good hour and half
0:39:49 > 0:39:52before they got him into the ambulance.
0:39:52 > 0:39:56Then he shouted, "All right, Katy?" "Yes, Josh, I'm fine!"
0:39:56 > 0:39:58You know, so...
0:40:00 > 0:40:02For Josh, 1,500 feet below,
0:40:02 > 0:40:05it's a short drive to Sheffield's Northern General Hospital
0:40:05 > 0:40:10where consultants confirm Dr Dave's verdict - he's unhurt.
0:40:10 > 0:40:12I'd say the casualty's been very lucky.
0:40:12 > 0:40:14The situation he's found himself in,
0:40:14 > 0:40:19basically sat up against the backside of the trench, has definitely helped.
0:40:19 > 0:40:21The amount of weight that's been on Josh
0:40:21 > 0:40:25would have been in the region of hundreds of kilos.
0:40:25 > 0:40:30If it had rested on the casualty's chest, it would've been a different story.
0:40:30 > 0:40:36The paramedics can scarcely believe the outcome of the nail-biting drama they've watched unfold.
0:40:36 > 0:40:40Very lucky lad that, Mike.
0:40:42 > 0:40:46And the following day, there's a surprise for Josh's boss.
0:40:46 > 0:40:52His labourer's back at work, none the worse for his ordeal and determined to keep his new job.
0:40:52 > 0:40:56He went to get some wood to shore it up.
0:40:56 > 0:40:58He came back, didn't do anything.
0:40:58 > 0:41:03He said, "Start digging." I started digging and it collapsed on me.
0:41:03 > 0:41:07As soon as it started falling, I thought, "I'm in trouble here."
0:41:07 > 0:41:11I started really worrying, panicking.
0:41:11 > 0:41:16And then after that, once it had happened, I calmed down quite a bit.
0:41:16 > 0:41:21Scott calmed me down. He was like, "Relax. It's all right. Don't panic.
0:41:21 > 0:41:24"If you panic, that's when you're in trouble."
0:41:24 > 0:41:27I thought he was going to die.
0:41:27 > 0:41:29I thought he was going to die.
0:41:29 > 0:41:32We had to wedge it up quick before it killed him.
0:41:32 > 0:41:36It were a bad 'un. You don't get any luckier than that.
0:41:36 > 0:41:39There'd have been a good eight, nine ton coming down on him.
0:41:39 > 0:41:42If we hadn't got it wedged, it would've crushed him.
0:41:42 > 0:41:48The only people I could see were firemen in front of me and the paramedic behind me.
0:41:48 > 0:41:56I was gobsmacked when I got out and there were hundreds of firemen, police and high-dependency units.
0:41:56 > 0:42:00Remarkably enough, I've not got a scratch or a bruise on me.
0:42:00 > 0:42:02Not a single mark.
0:42:04 > 0:42:08I'm pleased to say Josh hasn't been put off the building trade
0:42:08 > 0:42:11and he's determined to keep digging for a living.
0:42:11 > 0:42:15Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:42:15 > 0:42:19E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk