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-thirties, been ejected from a vehicle.
0:00:14 > 0:00:17Hospital's an hour away by road
0:00:17 > 0:00:19and speed is the only thing that can save you.
0:00:19 > 0:00:21Roger, Helimed 99 is en route. Over.
0:00:21 > 0:00:25The Yorkshire Air Ambulance and its highly trained paramedics
0:00:25 > 0:00:27are scrambled a thousand times a year.
0:00:27 > 0:00:29'Tell me exactly what's happened.'
0:00:29 > 0:00:32'A small child was on the path. A wagon's cut the corner and run over him.'
0:00:32 > 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 > 0:00:43Welcome to the life and death world of the helicopter heroes.
0:01:04 > 0:01:06Today on Helicopter Heroes:
0:01:06 > 0:01:09He's one of the world's best riders,
0:01:09 > 0:01:11but he's about to come a cropper.
0:01:11 > 0:01:13Can the Helimed team save him?
0:01:13 > 0:01:16'Underneath the rock face, just to the right.'
0:01:16 > 0:01:20The day a French motorist took to Britain's roads
0:01:20 > 0:01:22with painful consequences.
0:01:22 > 0:01:25Potential spinal injuries with the force of the accident.
0:01:25 > 0:01:27A heat wave adds to the team's case-load.
0:01:27 > 0:01:30Jumped off the bridge in shallow water.
0:01:30 > 0:01:31About six beers.
0:01:31 > 0:01:33A boy's knocked down by a bus
0:01:33 > 0:01:37and this landing will require all of pilot Tim's skills.
0:01:37 > 0:01:39'Two lampposts but we're clear.'
0:01:46 > 0:01:50The more rugged the landscape, the more important air ambulances are.
0:01:50 > 0:01:54Those are the Yorkshire Dales and it's no wonder the Helimed teams
0:01:54 > 0:01:56spend an awful lot of time over there.
0:01:56 > 0:01:58100 cases last year.
0:01:59 > 0:02:01In the world of extreme sports,
0:02:01 > 0:02:04Chris Akrigg is a legend on two wheels.
0:02:05 > 0:02:07Six times national trial bike champion,
0:02:07 > 0:02:11and at 33, this is what he does for a living.
0:02:14 > 0:02:17Scaling impossible terrain with a combination of muscle power
0:02:17 > 0:02:19and a superhuman sense of balance.
0:02:22 > 0:02:28Today he's tackling the rocks of the Yorkshire Dales, on film as usual.
0:02:28 > 0:02:31But his next trick will be a challenge, even for him.
0:02:31 > 0:02:33First, it goes wrong.
0:02:35 > 0:02:36And again.
0:02:38 > 0:02:40And then this happens.
0:02:45 > 0:02:47Ambulance!
0:02:47 > 0:02:52We've had reports that someone's fallen approximately 40 ft.
0:02:52 > 0:02:55We're not sure of the extent to the injuries as yet.
0:02:55 > 0:02:59But obviously if they've fallen 40 ft, there's potential...
0:02:59 > 0:03:02Mountain rescue are also en route to it
0:03:02 > 0:03:06so I'm guessing that this is going to be
0:03:06 > 0:03:08a quite difficult area to access.
0:03:10 > 0:03:12I've come down a hell of a long way.
0:03:15 > 0:03:16It's not good.
0:03:17 > 0:03:20Chris is lying near two rocky outcrops
0:03:20 > 0:03:22known locally as the Salt and Pepper Pots.
0:03:22 > 0:03:24The steep cliff face is in the shade,
0:03:24 > 0:03:28making it difficult to spot the patient.
0:03:28 > 0:03:30Got him, yeah.
0:03:30 > 0:03:33Underneath the rock face,
0:03:33 > 0:03:35just to the right of him.
0:03:35 > 0:03:38Yep, straight down now.
0:03:38 > 0:03:41OK. What are you thinking? Top or bottom?
0:03:41 > 0:03:42Er...
0:03:45 > 0:03:47Down the pass somewhere.
0:03:47 > 0:03:49Pilot Steve Cobb must land at the top of the cliff.
0:03:49 > 0:03:52It's the closest he can get to Chris.
0:03:52 > 0:03:5499 on the ground, over.
0:03:54 > 0:03:56Is there a path this way?
0:03:56 > 0:03:58Not really.
0:03:58 > 0:04:01Often eyewitnesses overestimate the height of falls
0:04:01 > 0:04:04when calling the emergency services,
0:04:04 > 0:04:07but Chris's plunge was easily enough to have killed him.
0:04:07 > 0:04:08Now then.
0:04:09 > 0:04:11What happened?
0:04:11 > 0:04:14I just went down, pretty much in a skydiving position,
0:04:14 > 0:04:16landed somewhere here.
0:04:16 > 0:04:17- From up there?- Yep.
0:04:17 > 0:04:18- On that?- Not on my bike, no.
0:04:18 > 0:04:20I sort of landed and rolled down the grass.
0:04:20 > 0:04:23But you were on the bike when you were at the top?
0:04:23 > 0:04:26I rolled in the grass, I didn't realise that was just there.
0:04:26 > 0:04:30I knew it were there, but not that close, it was a bit of a...
0:04:30 > 0:04:32Take this pack of my back, mate.
0:04:32 > 0:04:35This cliff up here, sort of jumping the gap
0:04:35 > 0:04:39and then the next thing I know, he was coming down that
0:04:39 > 0:04:41and landed pretty hard on his head
0:04:41 > 0:04:44and shattered all his helmet.
0:04:44 > 0:04:47Darren can see immediately that Chris's leg is broken.
0:04:47 > 0:04:49A fall from this height
0:04:49 > 0:04:52means he may have other even more serious injuries.
0:04:52 > 0:04:54He's actually come down there
0:04:54 > 0:04:57which is quite extreme cycling, looking at that.
0:04:58 > 0:05:02Apparently he didn't actually see the drop
0:05:02 > 0:05:05prior to getting to the edge there
0:05:05 > 0:05:08so it's going to be quite an effort getting him down from this location.
0:05:08 > 0:05:11OK, mate. Take a deep breath for me.
0:05:11 > 0:05:14Did that give you any pain? Any pain here in your ribs or...?
0:05:14 > 0:05:16- No, fine.- No pain in your chest? None at all?
0:05:16 > 0:05:19Just your wrist and your arm, is that what you're telling me?
0:05:19 > 0:05:23- Yeah, I think my wrist got a bit... - Can you wiggle your fingers?
0:05:23 > 0:05:25- Can you do that with your wrist? - It's pretty sore.
0:05:25 > 0:05:28Wiggle your toes for me.
0:05:30 > 0:05:33- Is there padding in front of those jeans?- No.
0:05:33 > 0:05:36Chris's leg is swelling up.
0:05:36 > 0:05:40His femur, the biggest bone in the body, is shattered.
0:05:40 > 0:05:43Daz, Pete, traction splint, please. Over.
0:05:45 > 0:05:49Darren fears fragments of bone have punctured blood vessels.
0:05:49 > 0:05:52If so, he could bleed to death internally.
0:05:52 > 0:05:55Chris urgently needs to be in hospital.
0:06:07 > 0:06:10Tourism is big business in Yorkshire.
0:06:10 > 0:06:15Foreign visitors spend nearly £500 million a year here.
0:06:15 > 0:06:18And half come to head out into the countryside.
0:06:18 > 0:06:23But that can bring unexpected consequences for the locals.
0:06:26 > 0:06:27It's a Sunday afternoon
0:06:27 > 0:06:30at the Helimed team's North Yorkshire airbase
0:06:30 > 0:06:33and paramedics James Vine and Al Day are in a hurry.
0:06:37 > 0:06:41On a country lane just ten miles away, a biker's been badly hurt.
0:06:41 > 0:06:44The reports are that the motor cyclist has had
0:06:44 > 0:06:48a fairly significant impact, gone over the roof.
0:06:48 > 0:06:49This is Heartbeat country
0:06:49 > 0:06:53where the TV copper of the '60s patrolled idyllic villages
0:06:53 > 0:06:57and even today the emergency services are thin on the ground.
0:06:57 > 0:06:59'Yeah, Roger on that, 99.
0:06:59 > 0:07:02'Just to let you know, we've also called a doctor,
0:07:02 > 0:07:04'so if you get there and you don't need doctor or crew,
0:07:04 > 0:07:07'could you let me know?'
0:07:07 > 0:07:10Will do, Chris.
0:07:10 > 0:07:14Helimed 99 will be the first help the biker gets.
0:07:14 > 0:07:17You're clear left, no wires.
0:07:17 > 0:07:22Right, guys. I can drop you on the road and then move away.
0:07:23 > 0:07:26Reaching their patient is a challenge.
0:07:26 > 0:07:29Pilot Chris must land on the road where the accident's happened.
0:07:29 > 0:07:31But he'll have to park somewhere else.
0:07:31 > 0:07:33Leaving three tonnes of chopper in the lane
0:07:33 > 0:07:37will prevent ground ambulances getting to the scene.
0:07:37 > 0:07:39Take everything you need with you,
0:07:39 > 0:07:42and then I'll go and reposition somewhere. All right?
0:07:42 > 0:07:44OK, good to go, guys.
0:07:44 > 0:07:45OK, disconnecting.
0:07:45 > 0:07:49Allen Keenahan was out for a ride on his high-powered bike.
0:07:49 > 0:07:53He hit the car head on and was catapulted over the roof.
0:07:53 > 0:07:55Allen's arms are badly broken.
0:07:55 > 0:07:59But Al fears more serious injuries are yet to be detected.
0:07:59 > 0:08:02This chap's been on his bike
0:08:02 > 0:08:04coming round this corner
0:08:04 > 0:08:07on this de-restricted road at about 60 miles an hour
0:08:07 > 0:08:10and has hit a car and gone over the top of the car.
0:08:10 > 0:08:13The cyclist might have broken his arms
0:08:13 > 0:08:15but other than that he seems OK at the moment.
0:08:15 > 0:08:18So he's probably had a fairly lucky escape
0:08:18 > 0:08:20but we're going to have to treat him
0:08:20 > 0:08:24for potential spinal injuries with the force of the accident.
0:08:24 > 0:08:27The rider's helmet did this to the car's windscreen.
0:08:27 > 0:08:30It's a miracle he survived.
0:08:30 > 0:08:32The cause of the accident is a mystery.
0:08:32 > 0:08:35The car appears to have been on the wrong side of the road.
0:08:35 > 0:08:37You're on the wrong side.
0:08:37 > 0:08:40From where we are, we saw him coming in
0:08:40 > 0:08:43and I just stopped because I couldn't do anything else...
0:08:43 > 0:08:46The nationality of the driver was a factor.
0:08:46 > 0:08:50He's French and forgot to drive his hire car on the left.
0:08:50 > 0:08:53The bike's on the right side of the road,
0:08:53 > 0:08:56and the car's on the wrong side of the road.
0:08:56 > 0:08:57Both arms have gone through, I think.
0:08:57 > 0:09:00Slowed himself down through the windscreen.
0:09:00 > 0:09:01It's amazing.
0:09:01 > 0:09:05The French motorist, who'd been visiting his niece
0:09:05 > 0:09:07at a nearby public school, is shocked.
0:09:07 > 0:09:10He's from Paris and wasn't used to the winding lanes
0:09:10 > 0:09:12of the British countryside.
0:09:12 > 0:09:16That's little consolation to Alan. He's a self-employed builder
0:09:16 > 0:09:19and his injuries are likely to mean months off work.
0:09:19 > 0:09:21He was fine actually straightaway.
0:09:21 > 0:09:25He was conscious so he was able to chat and explain where it hurt
0:09:25 > 0:09:27and stuff like that.
0:09:27 > 0:09:30But, I mean, we just kept him comfortable.
0:09:30 > 0:09:33That's the best way to deal with it really.
0:09:35 > 0:09:38Flying doctor Rob Anderson was at home nearby
0:09:38 > 0:09:40when his bleep went off.
0:09:40 > 0:09:43Thanks to his skills, A&E has just come to Allen.
0:09:45 > 0:09:50You'd expect anyone not wearing the appropriate kit to be...
0:09:50 > 0:09:52to not survive this sort of impact.
0:09:52 > 0:09:54It's amazing.
0:09:54 > 0:09:57But Doctor Rob knows some life-threatening injuries
0:09:57 > 0:10:00are impossible to diagnose at the roadside.
0:10:00 > 0:10:02Until Allen's safely in hospital,
0:10:02 > 0:10:05there's a risk his life could still be in danger.
0:10:12 > 0:10:14Everyone likes a day off in the sun
0:10:14 > 0:10:18and as temperatures rise many of us head for water.
0:10:18 > 0:10:21But a reckless few tend to take risks
0:10:21 > 0:10:24that make them patients for the Helimed team.
0:10:25 > 0:10:29On a hot day, the chilly waters of the River Warfe are tempting,
0:10:29 > 0:10:32especially for the young and the brave.
0:10:32 > 0:10:35Several teenagers have died tombstoning here
0:10:35 > 0:10:38despite warnings from the police.
0:10:38 > 0:10:41It isn't a safe place to jump. It's as simple as that.
0:10:41 > 0:10:44If you're lucky, you'll hit the deep section,
0:10:44 > 0:10:49but if you're unlucky, you'll hit something shallow.
0:10:49 > 0:10:54And today Helimed 98 is on its way to another casualty of the heatwave.
0:10:54 > 0:10:58What they've said is he's got a query fractured ankle,
0:10:58 > 0:11:00query jumping off a bridge.
0:11:00 > 0:11:03The accident has happened in the spa town of Ilkley.
0:11:03 > 0:11:06So it's about a K past there.
0:11:06 > 0:11:07The bridge is there.
0:11:07 > 0:11:09The banks of the River Wharfe
0:11:09 > 0:11:12are crowded with people enjoying the sun.
0:11:12 > 0:11:15Pilot Steve can't risk a landing close to the patient.
0:11:17 > 0:11:21Helimed 99 to air desk, we're now on the ground, over.
0:11:23 > 0:11:25Hello, ladies.
0:11:25 > 0:11:29Matt Crooks is 20 and he's had a drink. Or two.
0:11:29 > 0:11:34He's jumped 20 ft into what he thought was deep water. It wasn't.
0:11:34 > 0:11:36His mates dragged him from the river.
0:11:36 > 0:11:39He said he'd hurt his foot. I helped him out and he can't walk.
0:11:39 > 0:11:41- This is his friend.- Hello, friend.
0:11:41 > 0:11:45Can I just swap places with you? Just for two minutes.
0:11:45 > 0:11:47Matthew?
0:11:47 > 0:11:51- I'm called Sammy, I'm one of the paramedics, OK, mate?- Yeah.
0:11:51 > 0:11:53- Can you remember what happened?- Yeah.
0:11:53 > 0:11:55Cos you've hurt both your legs
0:11:55 > 0:11:57and your back's hurting,
0:11:57 > 0:12:00what we'd like to do is lay you on this board, all right?
0:12:00 > 0:12:02Then we can take you and get them sorted.
0:12:03 > 0:12:06Matt's mum and aunt have come down to the river.
0:12:06 > 0:12:08They're understandably worried.
0:12:08 > 0:12:10You're not allergic to anything, are you?
0:12:10 > 0:12:14Try not to nod or shake your head, just say yes or no.
0:12:14 > 0:12:18As far as I know, he's just jumped off that bridge in shallow water.
0:12:18 > 0:12:22All over the North, young people are taking risks in the water.
0:12:22 > 0:12:25Matt's one of the few whose moment's miscalculation
0:12:25 > 0:12:29may have lifelong consequences.
0:12:29 > 0:12:31- Try and relax. - Just take a big breath for me.
0:12:31 > 0:12:33- Does that cause any pain at all? - Yeah.
0:12:33 > 0:12:34Watch his legs.
0:12:34 > 0:12:37Going to give you some more pain relief in due course.
0:12:37 > 0:12:39They want to protect Matt's neck and spine.
0:12:39 > 0:12:42This medical manoeuvre is called the logroll.
0:12:42 > 0:12:45Ready, steady, roll.
0:12:45 > 0:12:49It keeps the spine in line and prevents it being damaged.
0:12:49 > 0:12:52Well done, Matt. Well done, Matt. We've got you now.
0:12:52 > 0:12:57- Gently down.- Good lad, Matt.
0:12:57 > 0:12:59Well done. Let's have this arm down, lad.
0:12:59 > 0:13:03Doctor Simon Ward knows the circumstances of the accident,
0:13:03 > 0:13:06what medics call the mechanism of injury,
0:13:06 > 0:13:10are highly likely to lead to spinal injuries.
0:13:10 > 0:13:13Looks like he's injured both of his heel bones, the calcanium,
0:13:13 > 0:13:16which is quite a common injury when you land on your feet from a height.
0:13:16 > 0:13:20That's resulted in a shock going up his legs into his spine
0:13:20 > 0:13:23and he's complaining of back pain.
0:13:23 > 0:13:27Dr Simon wants to reduce Matt's pain before they move him.
0:13:27 > 0:13:30Ketamine is a powerful drug that kills pain
0:13:30 > 0:13:32and gives patients temporary amnesia.
0:13:32 > 0:13:35We need to use some further analgesia, some ketamine,
0:13:35 > 0:13:38if his pain doesn't settle. But we're doing other things first
0:13:38 > 0:13:41like splinting the limbs to make sure that everything's held
0:13:41 > 0:13:43nice and firmly for the transfer.
0:13:43 > 0:13:47Can you score for me out of ten? If 10 is the worst pain imaginable
0:13:47 > 0:13:50and zero is none, what number are you at now?
0:13:50 > 0:13:52It's a nine, without any doubt, it's a nine.
0:13:52 > 0:13:56A nine. Have some more then, mate.
0:13:56 > 0:13:58How much alcohol have you had today?
0:13:58 > 0:14:01- How much what?- Alcohol. Not that much to tell you...
0:14:01 > 0:14:03- Just give me a clue. - About six beers.
0:14:03 > 0:14:08Keep breathing. You've got some morphine inside you.
0:14:08 > 0:14:12The alcohol will be doing a bit of a trick as well.
0:14:12 > 0:14:14We called air ambulance basically because of where we are.
0:14:14 > 0:14:17We thought if he has got that amount of injury,
0:14:17 > 0:14:19he needs carrying up on a spinal board up to the main road,
0:14:19 > 0:14:21a rough road journey into hospital.
0:14:21 > 0:14:23It would be far better and far faster,
0:14:23 > 0:14:25if we could get him in by the air ambulance.
0:14:25 > 0:14:28Right then. That noise you can hear,
0:14:28 > 0:14:30is the helicopter just coming a bit closer, OK?
0:14:30 > 0:14:33See you at hospital.
0:14:35 > 0:14:38We'll lift you up into the helicopter
0:14:38 > 0:14:41and then we'll be flying just for a few minutes.
0:14:41 > 0:14:43We'll be sat right at the side of the you.
0:14:43 > 0:14:47Lots of people here today, a nice day, couldn't get down to the river.
0:14:47 > 0:14:49There's space here but lots of people around
0:14:49 > 0:14:51so we landed in a rugby field
0:14:51 > 0:14:54and then got the area cleared by the police to make it easier
0:14:54 > 0:14:57for the land crew to actually get to the aircraft.
0:15:00 > 0:15:03The patient's on his way to Leeds General Infirmary
0:15:03 > 0:15:06where doctors are waiting to examine his spine.
0:15:06 > 0:15:09He'll be subjected to X-rays and a scan.
0:15:11 > 0:15:14But despite the height of his fall and his pain,
0:15:14 > 0:15:18it turns out he has no significant injuries.
0:15:28 > 0:15:30Now, let's return to the rescue
0:15:30 > 0:15:34of one of the UK's top mountain bikers in the Dales.
0:15:34 > 0:15:38Chris Akrigg is lucky to be alive after surviving
0:15:38 > 0:15:41this 40ft fall down a cliff face.
0:15:42 > 0:15:44His thigh bone is shattered
0:15:44 > 0:15:48but paramedic Darren Axe is amazed that it appears to be
0:15:48 > 0:15:49his most serious injury.
0:15:49 > 0:15:52I bet that were one hell of a wild ride coming down there.
0:15:52 > 0:15:54Not too bad, actually.
0:15:54 > 0:15:57- I think you're lucky to be alive to tell you the truth.- Really?
0:15:57 > 0:15:59Yes.
0:15:59 > 0:16:01Darren fears Chris is bleeding internally.
0:16:02 > 0:16:05Straightening his broken leg is the next priority.
0:16:05 > 0:16:08It will reduce damage to blood vessels and nerves.
0:16:08 > 0:16:12So what we're are going to do, Chris, is slide a little bar
0:16:12 > 0:16:15up between your legs and it's going to sit in your groin.
0:16:15 > 0:16:19I think it's mainly at the bottom end.
0:16:19 > 0:16:22Right, we're going to have to put some traction on to this, mate, all right?
0:16:22 > 0:16:26What are you like now? OK.
0:16:30 > 0:16:32Pete, I've got traction onto his knee.
0:16:34 > 0:16:38Having a traction splint is usually agonising for the patient.
0:16:38 > 0:16:39But not for this one.
0:16:39 > 0:16:41It's very surreal.
0:16:41 > 0:16:44It don't matter, if you're not feeling it,
0:16:44 > 0:16:45that's all that matters to us, mate.
0:16:45 > 0:16:47Chris appears to be immune to pain.
0:16:47 > 0:16:52I know you've got to do your thing so I'll just keep quiet.
0:16:52 > 0:16:55If we're doing anything that causes you an increase in pain,
0:16:55 > 0:16:57- tell us straightaway, all right?- Yeah.
0:16:57 > 0:17:01Paramedic Pete has been in the ambulance service for thirty years
0:17:01 > 0:17:02and even he is surprised
0:17:02 > 0:17:04with Chris's ability to deal with the pain.
0:17:04 > 0:17:07- How are you doing a pain wise? - Not too bad.
0:17:11 > 0:17:14Tell you something, you're not mardy, are you?
0:17:14 > 0:17:17- I'm what?- I said, you're not mardy.
0:17:17 > 0:17:19You act like a lion, mate.
0:17:19 > 0:17:21Darren fears he may be showing off.
0:17:21 > 0:17:24Being brave doesn't get you any medals, mate.
0:17:24 > 0:17:27If it hurts, tell me, I'll give you some more for it, OK?
0:17:27 > 0:17:30You've only had a quarter of the dose you should have had.
0:17:30 > 0:17:34He's in good spirits and it appears to be an isolated injury,
0:17:34 > 0:17:36which, looking at this again, is very lucky
0:17:36 > 0:17:40so we're just waiting on mountain rescue now to get all the staff here
0:17:40 > 0:17:43and then we'll be taking him down to the waiting ambulance.
0:17:46 > 0:17:48Prepare to lift. Brace. Lift.
0:17:50 > 0:17:52Feeding it through.
0:17:52 > 0:17:57Chris's route off the fell is in the safe hands of the rescue team.
0:17:57 > 0:18:00It's the beginning of a journey to the local hospital,
0:18:00 > 0:18:03where the doctors will discover the severity of his injuries.
0:18:03 > 0:18:06Their diagnosis will change his life.
0:18:12 > 0:18:16Coming up...Chris has cheated death, thanks to a simple precaution.
0:18:16 > 0:18:19He was wearing a helmet, which has been destroyed by the fall,
0:18:19 > 0:18:21but he's not sustained a head injury.
0:18:21 > 0:18:23But will he ride again?
0:18:31 > 0:18:35Remember the biker whose collision with a French tourist's hire car
0:18:35 > 0:18:37left him badly injured?
0:18:37 > 0:18:39He's about to take off for hospital.
0:18:41 > 0:18:43The market town of Helmsley's a popular coffee stop
0:18:43 > 0:18:45for the North's bikers,
0:18:45 > 0:18:51but today one rider's journey has ended five miles short of his destination.
0:18:51 > 0:18:54Alan Keenahan hit the car's windscreen with his head
0:18:54 > 0:18:56and was catapulted over the roof.
0:18:56 > 0:19:00Very lucky just to come away with two broken arms, I think.
0:19:00 > 0:19:04His head's certainly gone through the windscreen, hasn't it? It's outrageous.
0:19:04 > 0:19:08- How are you feeling now, Alan? - Just my arms hurt.
0:19:08 > 0:19:11Bikers love the winding lanes of Ryedale
0:19:11 > 0:19:14and accidents involving them are far from rare here.
0:19:14 > 0:19:20There was one up there about three months ago. It's like a death trap, this bit of road.
0:19:20 > 0:19:23It was a gritter first and then the car came through.
0:19:23 > 0:19:26It's a really dangerous piece of road.
0:19:26 > 0:19:31Alan's been given the most powerful pain killer in the paramedics' armoury.
0:19:31 > 0:19:35Do you want a bit more morphine? Or do you want to see how you get on?
0:19:35 > 0:19:38Let's see how you get on for a few minutes.
0:19:38 > 0:19:41When we get to the aircraft, we'll talk about it again.
0:19:43 > 0:19:47Getting Alan to hospital means moving Helimed 99 again.
0:19:47 > 0:19:51Once again, Chris is turning the road into a helipad.
0:19:51 > 0:19:53- How are you feeling now?- Yeah...
0:19:53 > 0:19:56- How's that pain? Has it eased off a bit?- It has a little bit.
0:19:56 > 0:19:59Yeah, that's probably the morphine. Do you feel a bit warm and fuzzy?
0:19:59 > 0:20:01No, not really, no.
0:20:01 > 0:20:05Alan needs to be flown to the A&E unit at York.
0:20:05 > 0:20:09It's 20 miles away, but it's less than a mile from his home.
0:20:11 > 0:20:14Here we go.
0:20:14 > 0:20:17You're clear left. And above.
0:20:19 > 0:20:22James thinks he knows why Alan has been so lucky.
0:20:22 > 0:20:26Modern biking equipment isn't cheap, but it works.
0:20:26 > 0:20:29The fact that the gentleman went through the windscreen
0:20:29 > 0:20:34and the helmet he was wearing was a very high-quality helmet certainly saved his life,
0:20:34 > 0:20:35there's no question.
0:20:35 > 0:20:39You get what you pay for when you buy equipment like that.
0:20:41 > 0:20:44Alan will soon be undergoing surgery.
0:20:44 > 0:20:47His arms are badly broken from the impact with the windscreen
0:20:47 > 0:20:48and then the road.
0:20:48 > 0:20:53He spends more than a week in York Hospital, recovering from his injuries.
0:20:54 > 0:21:00I remember it all. I remember the noise. A big crunching noise. I remember tumbling.
0:21:00 > 0:21:03And then being on the floor, but not knowing where I was
0:21:03 > 0:21:06till I looked over and saw the back of the car.
0:21:06 > 0:21:09It seemed like seconds before there were other people with me
0:21:09 > 0:21:10and I looked down beside me.
0:21:12 > 0:21:15Alan knows the French driver's mistake could have killed him,
0:21:15 > 0:21:19but he accepts the visitor didn't intend to cause an accident.
0:21:19 > 0:21:23They'd gone through some twisting bends and ended up on the other side of the road.
0:21:23 > 0:21:28Because there was no other traffic, it didn't alert them they were on the wrong side
0:21:28 > 0:21:31until they've come around the corner straight into me.
0:21:42 > 0:21:46Air ambulances are life-savers for millions of people living in the countryside.
0:21:46 > 0:21:51But they can also come to the rescue of some patients badly injured in the big cities as well.
0:21:52 > 0:21:57The two Yorkshire air ambulances cover more than five million people
0:21:57 > 0:22:00and around three out of four of them live in an urban area.
0:22:00 > 0:22:04They may live only minutes by road from an A&E,
0:22:04 > 0:22:08but, sometimes, a helicopter and its crew still turn out to be life-savers.
0:22:09 > 0:22:15Tall buildings, street lights and television aerials are all lethal obstacles for helicopters.
0:22:15 > 0:22:20And looking out for them is the top priority for the whole Helimed team.
0:22:20 > 0:22:26But, thanks to skilled crew members, pilots effectively have eyes in the back of their heads.
0:22:27 > 0:22:29Today, a young boy has been hit by a bus,
0:22:29 > 0:22:33right in the middle of a tightly packed housing estate.
0:22:33 > 0:22:36We're going to an RTC involving a five-year-old child.
0:22:36 > 0:22:41The response on the scene at the moment says this patient is in a consciousness.
0:22:43 > 0:22:47But first they have to find him, somewhere on the sprawling estate below.
0:22:47 > 0:22:48It should be just round here.
0:22:48 > 0:22:53There's that roundabout, and if you go bank round in a circle, that's where the grid's going.
0:22:53 > 0:22:57The helicopters are kitted out with the latest satellite navigation equipment,
0:22:57 > 0:23:02but, sometimes, even the crew of a £3 million helicopter need to go back to basics.
0:23:02 > 0:23:04OK. You've got A-Zs behind you.
0:23:04 > 0:23:09Don't know whether you want to see if that gets you a better idea.
0:23:10 > 0:23:16But, even more basic than that, these pilots all have pin-sharp eyesight.
0:23:16 > 0:23:18- I've got a visual.- You've got it? - Yes.
0:23:18 > 0:23:23The obvious space is that little triangle but people are walking there.
0:23:24 > 0:23:29- I'll change that. We'll go for the car park with the green bin.- Yeah, I've got it.
0:23:29 > 0:23:31No, because there's lots...
0:23:31 > 0:23:36Er... Where them people are, in the triangle, they would have walked past.
0:23:36 > 0:23:40- You'll have to whip your door open. - Let me know when.
0:23:40 > 0:23:42Yeah. You can do it now.
0:23:44 > 0:23:49Opening the door is risky. But they need an uninterrupted view.
0:23:49 > 0:23:54There's a stanchion this side of it. Bus shelter to the left.
0:23:54 > 0:23:57- On that green paddy in the middle? - Yes.
0:23:59 > 0:24:02- Are we all right on the left? - We are, yeah.
0:24:02 > 0:24:07- We've just got two lamp-posts but we're clear.- Clear, right.
0:24:07 > 0:24:13Between the flats and the parked cars, a tiny triangle of grass is about to become a helipad.
0:24:13 > 0:24:14Clear my side.
0:24:23 > 0:24:28He's just cycled straight out in front of the bus, allegedly ten to 15 miles an hour.
0:24:28 > 0:24:32Paramedic Paul Bradbury is worried about his patient.
0:24:32 > 0:24:36A five-year-old male, been hit by a bus.
0:24:36 > 0:24:41Initial injuries, he's got a head injury. GCS 14. He's drifting in and out of consciousness.
0:24:41 > 0:24:46Five-year old Cain has a serious head injury after cycling out in front of a bus.
0:24:46 > 0:24:49Ready, steady, lift.
0:24:49 > 0:24:54Sometimes, it's best to give the patient treatment on the roadside. But this isn't one of those times.
0:24:54 > 0:24:57Can you lift your arms up for me?
0:24:58 > 0:25:00Cain, lift your arms...
0:25:00 > 0:25:04They know Cain needs to get straight to the children's hospital.
0:25:04 > 0:25:07It's what paramedics call "scoop and run".
0:25:07 > 0:25:11- One, two, three. - See you later, Cain.
0:25:11 > 0:25:15- Have a nice ride in that helicopter.- See you later, Cainy.
0:25:15 > 0:25:17Now it's back down to Tim.
0:25:17 > 0:25:20Getting into a tight spot like this is one thing.
0:25:20 > 0:25:25Safely getting back out will test all his skills.
0:25:30 > 0:25:34The crew, together with Cain and his mum, are in hospital in minutes.
0:25:34 > 0:25:37And just a few weeks later he's back on his bike -
0:25:37 > 0:25:41with extra-special thanks for the helicopter crew
0:25:41 > 0:25:44and the landing they managed to pull off.
0:25:48 > 0:25:52Bradford's a city where open space is in short supply.
0:25:52 > 0:25:56And getting anywhere fast is a struggle for ambulance crews.
0:25:56 > 0:26:00Today there's been a major accident and Helimed 99 is on its way to help.
0:26:02 > 0:26:07- Down there, mate. Half past 12. Back of t'junction.- There you go.
0:26:08 > 0:26:11There's been a crash on a busy route into the city.
0:26:11 > 0:26:16But, a few hundred feet from touchdown, they spot a problem.
0:26:16 > 0:26:19The little car park at the side looks the best place.
0:26:19 > 0:26:22- Yeah.- Is that a wire?
0:26:22 > 0:26:25Wires are deadly, and difficult to spot.
0:26:26 > 0:26:30- We're just coming over t'trees, mate. - Yep. Three my side.
0:26:32 > 0:26:35Clear of t'light stanchions, clear of t'wires my side, mate.
0:26:35 > 0:26:38All clear wires, my side. Just the building.
0:26:38 > 0:26:41A hire car depot is about to get an unexpected customer.
0:26:47 > 0:26:48All clear my side.
0:26:48 > 0:26:50And they're down.
0:26:50 > 0:26:53The fire brigade are certainly impressed.
0:26:53 > 0:26:55Aye, he's not bad, is he?!
0:26:56 > 0:27:00- So this guy, any idea on injuries?- He's got a head injury.
0:27:00 > 0:27:02Right.
0:27:02 > 0:27:06Are we talking injuries as in lacerations?
0:27:06 > 0:27:10The paramedics are ready to start work, but Tim Taylor's job is done.
0:27:10 > 0:27:13It's, um, it's exactly the same dimensions
0:27:13 > 0:27:15as the helipad that we practise on,
0:27:15 > 0:27:18so it was near-perfect landing conditions,
0:27:18 > 0:27:20although it does look quite enclosed.
0:27:20 > 0:27:23Can you get us a couple of large dressings?
0:27:23 > 0:27:29We're going to expose the wound on the head, make sure it's not a head injury and is more lacerations,
0:27:29 > 0:27:32just to double check, otherwise he'll go by land.
0:27:32 > 0:27:37The motorist suffered a head injury, but Dr Andy doesn't know how serious it is.
0:27:38 > 0:27:41- Shall we get him out and have a look when we get out?- Yes.
0:27:41 > 0:27:45We're coming out now. Leave them handy, in case.
0:27:45 > 0:27:51Obviously, they're just about to extricate these two people from this car.
0:27:51 > 0:27:53One of them sustained a head injury.
0:27:53 > 0:27:56Dr Pountney's in there, giving him a check over.
0:27:56 > 0:27:59I think they're going to make a decision on whether or not
0:27:59 > 0:28:04we'll be transporting once they're free and they've managed to expose the wound.
0:28:04 > 0:28:07Just watch for the straps underneath that side.
0:28:07 > 0:28:14Every time the Helimed team land in a built-up area, they need to make a careful calculation.
0:28:14 > 0:28:18Does the patient's medical condition justify the extra risk to his safety
0:28:18 > 0:28:22entailed in a risky take-off from a confined site?
0:28:22 > 0:28:24In this case, it probably doesn't.
0:28:27 > 0:28:31- You feel what?- Right dry. - You're going to do.
0:28:31 > 0:28:35That's a natural reaction when you've had an accident like this.
0:28:35 > 0:28:37Let go of that oxygen mask for me.
0:28:37 > 0:28:40Have you any pain round your chest at all, sir?
0:28:40 > 0:28:43That might be a bit cold. Deep breath again for me.
0:28:45 > 0:28:47- Are your legs all right, sir?- Yeah.
0:28:47 > 0:28:51He's going to hospital for X-rays, but his condition isn't serious enough to justify
0:28:51 > 0:28:54the risk of a take-off from this landing site.
0:28:54 > 0:28:55He'll go by road.
0:28:55 > 0:28:58He had an isolated head injury, but he was fully conscious throughout.
0:28:58 > 0:29:01When we looked at the wound on his head,
0:29:01 > 0:29:05he has a big flap across the front of his head.
0:29:05 > 0:29:08It lifts right up, revealing the skull underneath.
0:29:08 > 0:29:12At the moment, he's got a good pulse, good blood pressure. Hopefully, that seems OK.
0:29:12 > 0:29:15The hospital's only a minute or two down the road from here
0:29:15 > 0:29:17so the land crew are taking him down there.
0:29:19 > 0:29:24Inner-city firefighters rarely get to work with the Helimed team,
0:29:24 > 0:29:28so today they're keen to find out what an air ambulance can do.
0:29:28 > 0:29:31I've seen it close up at the training centre, but at a job, yeah.
0:29:31 > 0:29:34- I've seen it on the telly! - LAUGHTER
0:29:34 > 0:29:35There you go!
0:29:35 > 0:29:38Just say, "Cat up a tree"!
0:29:38 > 0:29:39CHEERING
0:29:39 > 0:29:45They'll know next time they have a car-crash victim who needs specialist treatment.
0:29:45 > 0:29:48But for the crew of Helimed 99 it's time to return to base.
0:29:48 > 0:29:52Taking off from the city demands the same care,
0:29:52 > 0:29:54but at least this time Tim knows the hazards.
0:29:59 > 0:30:02When the Helimed team touches down in urban areas,
0:30:02 > 0:30:06they can come face-to-face with the same problems and dangers
0:30:06 > 0:30:09as their colleagues on the ground in our big cities,
0:30:09 > 0:30:10and that includes crime.
0:30:10 > 0:30:15It's someone been attacked with an axe.
0:30:15 > 0:30:18Apparently, they say he's got a bit of a hole in his head.
0:30:18 > 0:30:22He's fitting and they've smashed his legs with an iron bar.
0:30:22 > 0:30:28It's a winter morning. Paramedics Sammy and Tony know they could soon be facing a man with an axe.
0:30:28 > 0:30:31Right guys, quick question.
0:30:31 > 0:30:34The people that have obviously done this, are they still there?
0:30:34 > 0:30:37The police are there.
0:30:37 > 0:30:39You fancy having a word with Dave,
0:30:39 > 0:30:44- to see if the crews have been asked to stand off or not? - Yeah, good point.
0:30:44 > 0:30:50The nature of the injuries sound very serious - an axe and a crowbar.
0:30:50 > 0:30:53The fact that he's been assaulted. Quite a stressful situation.
0:30:53 > 0:30:56We've checked that we're safe to approach.
0:30:56 > 0:30:58There have been several calls in for it.
0:30:58 > 0:31:01I believe his head is described as having a hole in it.
0:31:02 > 0:31:06Knottingley is a town built around its river and canal network.
0:31:06 > 0:31:09Its industrial units are tightly packed
0:31:09 > 0:31:12and there are few places to land a big, yellow helicopter.
0:31:12 > 0:31:14We've got the river down in front of us.
0:31:14 > 0:31:19At some point you should see the canal veering off the river.
0:31:19 > 0:31:24The site Chris has chosen is a tiny industrial yard right next to the canal.
0:31:24 > 0:31:28This side of the road and the bridge, there's a triangular section.
0:31:28 > 0:31:33Got a boat this side of it. A car's just passed across the top of it.
0:31:33 > 0:31:37- Checking for masts on the boat. - Boat to the right.
0:31:37 > 0:31:40We might get a spot of recirculation here.
0:31:40 > 0:31:46Clear to your left. You have got some pallets and stuff next to the wall. Keep an eye on them.
0:31:46 > 0:31:51- The boat is blowing away from the mooring, but it is tethered by chain.- Everything's staying put.
0:31:51 > 0:31:56- Should be fairly heavy here. - Clear left.- I think your gap is 12 o'clock.
0:31:58 > 0:32:02Sammy to Dave. We're on the ground, making our way to the location. Over.
0:32:02 > 0:32:08This is a nervous moment. But Sammy and Tony are relieved to find the police are already on scene.
0:32:08 > 0:32:12- They've hit him on the back of the head with a metal bar.- Yep.
0:32:12 > 0:32:15He's got a lump and there is an open wound to it.
0:32:15 > 0:32:18I've not seen it, because when I got here, police had dressed it.
0:32:18 > 0:32:22There's a lot of blood in there. He was unconscious, we don't know how long for.
0:32:22 > 0:32:24He has been convulsing.
0:32:24 > 0:32:25We've received a report
0:32:25 > 0:32:28about half an hour ago of a gentleman being attacked,
0:32:28 > 0:32:31with possibly an iron bar and an axe.
0:32:31 > 0:32:33We've arrived here
0:32:33 > 0:32:35and the gentleman's sat up on the grit bin.
0:32:35 > 0:32:37Quite a nasty head injury.
0:32:37 > 0:32:40I believe suspects have made off prior to our arrival.
0:32:40 > 0:32:45With a head injury like this, urgent specialist treatment is critical.
0:32:45 > 0:32:49The crew knows he needs to get straight to the specialist head-injury unit in Leeds.
0:32:49 > 0:32:53We're going to be a good ten minutes on scene, cos we're on an industrial estate.
0:32:53 > 0:32:57I think we'd say we'd be about 15 minutes, probably 20.
0:32:57 > 0:32:59Not only was this a tight landing spot,
0:32:59 > 0:33:01the harsh weather can cause problems, too.
0:33:01 > 0:33:07On cold days like today, the helicopter's skids can literally freeze to the ground.
0:33:08 > 0:33:12- Time's coming for me to have a look behind...- OK. - ..in case she sticks.
0:33:12 > 0:33:14- I felt that!- Yeah.
0:33:14 > 0:33:17Getting out of here will be tricky.
0:33:17 > 0:33:20But Chris uses the full force of the twin jet engines
0:33:20 > 0:33:23to get away from the masts, factories and bridges as fast as possible.
0:33:23 > 0:33:25Got a small tree here.
0:33:27 > 0:33:29And there's a light stanchion.
0:33:29 > 0:33:31'Just a radio check.'
0:33:31 > 0:33:34All looks good my side.
0:33:34 > 0:33:40He's got some kind of internal head injury as well as external laceration to the back of his head.
0:33:40 > 0:33:42And then to get the salt, as well.
0:33:42 > 0:33:45It's not something that normally goes together.
0:33:45 > 0:33:47So it's quite a strange job all round, really.
0:33:49 > 0:33:51Their patient had serious injuries,
0:33:51 > 0:33:56but thanks to the crew's determination to pull off a very tricky urban landing,
0:33:56 > 0:33:58he was able to fully recover.
0:33:58 > 0:34:01But, despite an extensive police inquiry,
0:34:01 > 0:34:03no one was charged with the attack.
0:34:05 > 0:34:09The UK's strict aviation laws ban pilots from landing in built-up areas
0:34:09 > 0:34:11unless it's a matter of life or death.
0:34:11 > 0:34:15So when the Helimed team is called to an urban emergency,
0:34:15 > 0:34:18the pressure is really on to get down.
0:34:18 > 0:34:20The old mill towns of West Yorkshire
0:34:20 > 0:34:24are built into one of England's most undulating landscapes.
0:34:24 > 0:34:31Terrace houses cling to hillsides and streets can be 1,000ft higher than the next neighbourhood.
0:34:31 > 0:34:35It's a daily problem for Captain Steve Cobb.
0:34:36 > 0:34:38- Four minutes to run, Pete. - All right, mate.
0:34:38 > 0:34:42Helimed 98 is heading for Yorkshire's border with Lancashire.
0:34:42 > 0:34:46We're off to an area in West Yorkshire called Todmorden.
0:34:46 > 0:34:48It's quite a remote area
0:34:48 > 0:34:51and the crew out there have attended a home address
0:34:51 > 0:34:54and found someone having a heart attack, so they requested
0:34:54 > 0:34:59we assist them and get them taken into LGI in, obviously, a much quicker time.
0:34:59 > 0:35:02The local land ambulance crew have driven the patient to a park,
0:35:02 > 0:35:06where Steve can usually land without a problem.
0:35:06 > 0:35:10The town centre landings, it depends where we are and what sort of space we've got.
0:35:10 > 0:35:13The minimum we need is twice the rotor diameter of the helicopter.
0:35:13 > 0:35:16So if we can find a park, it's usually quite a decent size.
0:35:16 > 0:35:19But there's a problem - it's half-term.
0:35:19 > 0:35:22I'm not sure if this is school holiday this week. It might still be.
0:35:22 > 0:35:26There's always the opportunity of having children and young kids about.
0:35:26 > 0:35:32When you said it was reasonably quiet, you'd not seen that playground in the bottom corner!
0:35:32 > 0:35:34- Well, it's a...- It's rammed!
0:35:34 > 0:35:36Hundreds of children are playing in the park.
0:35:36 > 0:35:40If they can't find a clear area, they may have to abort their landing.
0:35:40 > 0:35:44I can see one person, I don't know if they're moving out of the way.
0:35:44 > 0:35:46This is going to be a scrum, Pete.
0:35:47 > 0:35:51But the crowd clears, giving Helimed 98 the chance to touch down.
0:35:51 > 0:35:55- Clear my side.- All clear, right.
0:35:56 > 0:36:00Plenty of room my side. Nobody's approaching us...too close, anyway.
0:36:02 > 0:36:03I'm going to step out.
0:36:06 > 0:36:09Hey, kids. Stay back onto the path for me, will you?
0:36:09 > 0:36:11Thank you.
0:36:12 > 0:36:14HE LAUGHS A bit busier than I hoped,
0:36:14 > 0:36:16um, but at the moment they're behaving themselves
0:36:16 > 0:36:17so, before we take off,
0:36:17 > 0:36:22we'll make sure they clear the area for take-off. We should be OK.
0:36:24 > 0:36:26The 41-year-old patient is having a heart attack.
0:36:26 > 0:36:29Hello there, are you all right?
0:36:29 > 0:36:31He's been given drugs by the local ambulance crew,
0:36:31 > 0:36:33which will thin his blood.
0:36:33 > 0:36:37After getting up at 11 o'clock this morning, he started really nauseous
0:36:37 > 0:36:43and at 2 o'clock, he started with a sudden onset of crushing chest pain.
0:36:43 > 0:36:44Right.
0:36:44 > 0:36:47Spin round to me. Put your bum on here. Your feet are going that way.
0:36:47 > 0:36:50I will put the backrest up for you.
0:36:50 > 0:36:52- Can just I swap places with you, chicken?- Yeah.
0:36:52 > 0:36:56Heart patients need reassurance and rapid treatment.
0:36:56 > 0:36:59His heart muscle is fighting to keep him alive.
0:36:59 > 0:37:02But its own blood supply has been restricted by a clot.
0:37:02 > 0:37:04OK, mate.
0:37:04 > 0:37:08They'll take you in and do a procedure, which will check
0:37:08 > 0:37:11if any of your arteries are blocked or closed in any way.
0:37:11 > 0:37:14If they are, they'll put them right there and then. Yeah?
0:37:14 > 0:37:15The best treatment you can get.
0:37:15 > 0:37:19Paramedic Pete's calmness masks his concerns about his patient's heart rhythm.
0:37:19 > 0:37:24It's showing worrying signs that he could be about to go into cardiac arrest.
0:37:24 > 0:37:26There's no time to waste.
0:37:28 > 0:37:30Right, fire away, Cobbster.
0:37:30 > 0:37:35A journey that could take an hour by road takes Helimed 98 just 15 minutes.
0:37:35 > 0:37:37En route to the LGI.
0:37:39 > 0:37:42Whereabouts was the pain in your chest, or where is it?
0:37:42 > 0:37:44Bang in the centre.
0:37:44 > 0:37:46Is it going anywhere else, down your arms or your throat?
0:37:46 > 0:37:52You've had this lump in your throat, anyway, that you're going to have investigated for you.
0:37:52 > 0:37:56And, soon, their patient is on the final approach to Leeds General Infirmary.
0:37:56 > 0:37:59- How are we doing pain-score-wise? - All right.
0:37:59 > 0:38:03In ten minutes, he'll be undergoing angioplasty,
0:38:03 > 0:38:07an operation to clear out the blocked artery in his heart.
0:38:08 > 0:38:13A tiny tube, called a stent, will be inserted to keep the vessel open
0:38:13 > 0:38:16and, in a few days, he'll be back home in Todmorden.
0:38:16 > 0:38:21The perils of turning a high street into a helipad there.
0:38:21 > 0:38:24Let's catch up on that case we brought you earlier.
0:38:24 > 0:38:27SIREN
0:38:27 > 0:38:29In the Yorkshire Dales, an ambulance crew is carrying
0:38:29 > 0:38:34one of the luckiest patients ever to fall off a cliff.
0:38:34 > 0:38:38Professional mountain biker Chris Akrigg has a badly broken leg.
0:38:38 > 0:38:43But he's alive after a fall that could easily have killed him.
0:38:43 > 0:38:46His survival has amazed his rescuers.
0:38:46 > 0:38:47He's been lucky.
0:38:47 > 0:38:50He was wearing a helmet, which has been destroyed by the fall,
0:38:50 > 0:38:53but he's not sustained a head injury.
0:38:53 > 0:38:57Chris's future is now in the hands of doctors at Airedale Hospital.
0:38:59 > 0:39:02This was their patient before his accident.
0:39:02 > 0:39:05An athlete whose amazing skills have made him a celebrity
0:39:05 > 0:39:08among extreme sports fans the world over.
0:39:09 > 0:39:14I knew that my leg was quite severely broken, looking down at my jeans
0:39:14 > 0:39:19it was quite tight and I realised it was quite a mess in there.
0:39:19 > 0:39:23That had actually been smashed into about five pieces
0:39:23 > 0:39:28and I think about a four-inch segment of the bone had been pushed up into my thigh.
0:39:28 > 0:39:33One bit had actually pieced the skin, which, obviously, is not cool!
0:39:33 > 0:39:37And I looked at my wrist. That didn't look so right.
0:39:37 > 0:39:45I wheeled it about a bit and I'd managed to break my radius.
0:39:45 > 0:39:50That's been pinned back together. And I've had and a titanium rod put in my thigh
0:39:50 > 0:39:52and it's all screwed back together.
0:39:52 > 0:39:57The memory of his accident is still clear in his mind.
0:39:57 > 0:40:01Basically, I was trying to jump out to another rock
0:40:01 > 0:40:03and, as I didn't quite make the gap,
0:40:03 > 0:40:06it wasn't a problem, because I was falling back on to the grass.
0:40:06 > 0:40:09I didn't realise the grass had such a steep slope,
0:40:09 > 0:40:13which led to another crag, that I hadn't actually seen.
0:40:13 > 0:40:17So when I'd fallen back, I was rolling around on the grass
0:40:17 > 0:40:22and then suddenly I was like, "Oh, yeah, that's there!
0:40:22 > 0:40:24"I didn't see that one!" HE LAUGHS
0:40:26 > 0:40:28What Chris attempted to do may seem crazy,
0:40:28 > 0:40:34but apparently, that day, he didn't consider he was doing anything particularly dangerous.
0:40:34 > 0:40:37It wasn't like I was going out trying to better myself
0:40:37 > 0:40:39and I was going crazy trying to better myself.
0:40:39 > 0:40:43I was actually going the other way, trying to calm things down a little bit
0:40:43 > 0:40:46and just go back to my roots a little bit.
0:40:46 > 0:40:50Take it easy and then I had something in mind for later on in the year
0:40:50 > 0:40:53that was going to be a bit more aggressive
0:40:53 > 0:40:57and a bit more mad, I guess, but, you know, it's not going to turn out that way.
0:40:57 > 0:41:03Push against me with about 20 per cent of your available effort.
0:41:03 > 0:41:09More than a month after the crash, Chris has found an unusual route back to fitness.
0:41:09 > 0:41:11With a steel rod inside his thigh bone,
0:41:11 > 0:41:15hydrotherapy is a gentle way to encourage his leg to heal.
0:41:15 > 0:41:20It's pretty much about five weeks since I actually was discharged.
0:41:20 > 0:41:23I've been coming back every week for hydrotherapy,
0:41:23 > 0:41:26so this is my fifth time here.
0:41:26 > 0:41:30Things are progressing quite a lot. I've got the pot off my arm.
0:41:30 > 0:41:32I've been given the green light from that point of view,
0:41:32 > 0:41:34so I can push my wrist now.
0:41:34 > 0:41:37But today's main goal was to push the leg,
0:41:37 > 0:41:41cos obviously I've still got quite a lot of...
0:41:41 > 0:41:44Well, just no movement in my legs, still. But it's getting there now.
0:41:45 > 0:41:50Chris's physio reckons the pool will help his patient's long-term recovery.
0:41:50 > 0:41:52It takes the weight out of the limbs
0:41:52 > 0:41:56and you can perform certain functions or walking around
0:41:56 > 0:42:00that are relatively painless in water compared to dry land.
0:42:00 > 0:42:05Cos when you're on dry land, you're much heavier than you are in water.
0:42:05 > 0:42:07And it's nice and warm.
0:42:07 > 0:42:14It has a sedative effect on some of the sensory nerves that transmit pain.
0:42:14 > 0:42:16And it's just nice and comfortable.
0:42:17 > 0:42:22Mentally, long term, my goal is to get back on the bike and doing exactly what I was doing before.
0:42:22 > 0:42:26But I've got put certain restrictions on myself.
0:42:26 > 0:42:29I'm in it for the long game, not just to rush back on and try to be a hero.
0:42:29 > 0:42:33I want to obviously get my strength back and take people's advice.
0:42:33 > 0:42:36When I can walk with no crutches, that'll be a big thing
0:42:36 > 0:42:40and, obviously, getting back on the bike doing a steady ride
0:42:40 > 0:42:44and, ultimately, getting back on and going nuts again.
0:42:47 > 0:42:50I'm pleased to say Chris's leg is improving so rapidly,
0:42:50 > 0:42:53he hopes to be back in the saddle by New Year.
0:43:05 > 0:43:08Subtitling by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:43:08 > 0:43:11E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk