Episode 5 Helicopter Heroes

If you're seriously ill or critically injured up here,

your life is in real danger.

-Complaining of severe pain.

-Mid-30s, been ejected from a vehicle.

'Hospital is an hour away by road

'and speed is the only thing that can save you.'

Roger, Helimed 99 is en route to you, over.

'The Yorkshire Air Ambulance and its highly-trained paramedics are scrambled 1,000 times a year.'

-Exactly what's happened?

-A small child has been on the path, a wagon's cut the corner and ran over him.

'Many of its ex-military pilots flew the SAS into action.'

That's not a suitable landing site. This one here is.

'Welcome to the life and death world of the Helicopter Heroes.'

Today on Helicopter Heroes...

-It's a yellow helicopter.

-It's a yellow helicopter.

'..the Helimed team turn childminders after a father is badly hurt in a car crash.'

We'll sort you out before we worry about your pigeons.

'The man who put his racing birds before his own heart attack.'

It's only a matter of time before there's some pigeons involved. You don't get this down in London.

'The chopper's scrambled to an industrial accident.'

The forks have come off the truck and caught him there.

'And there's a dramatic rescue on a rock face.'

Driving kids can be a nightmare.

Tantrums on the back seat and the cry of, "Are we nearly there yet?"

is just half of it. But imagine having a crash

with your young family in the back.

For one father, that nightmare came true.

'It's not often two helicopters are needed at the same emergency.'

Helimed 98...

-05.

-05.

'But today, both the Helimed team's choppers are being scrambled at the same time.

'After a two-car smash on a country road in the Yorkshire Wolds,

'firefighters are trying to free the driver and his children, aged just 18 months and three.'

"98, Roger, just gone up there.

"Crew on the scene confirms one adult, two babies trapped."

'With two choppers travelling at 150 miles an hour,

'the victims of the accident will have four trained paramedics taking care of them

'in less than 15 minutes.'

Crews on scene will be doing their best to extricate the casualties.

Once we get on scene, we'll assist in any way we can

and then Hull Royal is a short hop away for us to get the patients in for the treatment they require.

-There's the junction.

-Yeah, there's the junction.

-Straight over.

"Helimed 98. 99 Alpha is just northwest of you,

"about five miles inland."

'The crash has happened on a hill near the historic town of Beverley.

'Motorist Adrian Hoggarth was driving home to Hertfordshire after a visit to his parents

'when the accident happened.

'His daughter Layla and son Alex were strapped in kiddie seats in the back.

'Now all are trapped in the upturned Honda.'

-How are you doing?

-We've got a male trapped in there but he's just trapped around the metal, we think.

He's not complaining of any serious injuries. The fireman's in there now.

He said there's nothing obvious. The two kids are out, they're in the back of the paramedic ambulance.

'Paramedics hate incidents like this.

'It's hard to diagnose injuries when they can talk to their patients but can't reach them.'

The two kiddies are in the back. There's just one in here. He's trapped by the wreckage.

'At least the fire brigade have managed to reach little Layla and Alex and remove them from the car.

'They're bewildered but apparently unhurt.'

-What's your name?

-Layla.

-Layla?

-Yeah.

-How old are you?

-Layla.

-How old are you?

-I'm three.

-You're three?

-Yeah.

Hello, sweetheart. Did you have a listen?

-Were they restrained?

-Yeah. ALEX CRIES

-Were they in car seats?

-Yeah.

-It's your brother. What's his name?

-Alex.

-Alex.

'They're clearly missing their daddy and paramedics Darren and James are doing their best to distract them.'

-I'm scared.

-Don't be scared. We'll look after you. Everything's going to be just fine.

'The team want to see the children's dad almost as much as they do.

'But the car's in a precarious position

'and releasing him will take time.

'It's time he may not have.'

They physically can't get him out from the car that's in front of me because of its crumpledness.

Nobody else is trapped. The two children are being taken care of

and the two occupants out of this car have gone in a land ambulance.

-Will that windscreen not come out?

-It will, but if you look at it from this side,

it's probably going to be a lot easier that way.

I don't know. I mean...

-If we've got enough room to come out... If we get that window out...

-I'll get the window out.

'Paramedic Pete wants to examine Adrian properly, but he's trapped awkwardly in his overturned car.

'From what Pete can see and hear, he's displaying some worrying symptoms.'

Adrian. OK, mate. I'm just down by your legs.

-We're going to take you out of here and it's going to be a tight squeeze. Your kiddies are fine, OK?

-Yep.

They're going to hospital. They'll be there when you arrive.

'The team suspect he may have suffered serious spinal injuries.

'Pete wants to see Adrian freed.'

The NHS spends millions each year trying to persuade us to take chest pain seriously,

and many more people are listening.

But what happens when the tell-tale signs of a heart attack start when you're in the middle of nowhere?

'When it comes to problems with your heart, speed can be a lifesaver.

'Today the crew of Helimed 99 is racing to help a man who's having a heart attack.'

-It's a farm, is it?

-No, it's somebody having trouble in a van, apparently.

-Oh, right.

-A white Astra van.

There's been two calls about it.

'The exact location is unclear

'but paramedic Al Day spots a possible lone vehicle.'

-That's a white van.

-It's a white van.

-Looks like it might be an Astra van, as well.

-I can't believe nobody's there with him.

-You reckon that's it?

-I reckon that's probably it, yeah.

'The driver's made his own emergency call

'and paramedics on the ground are struggling to find him.'

Yeah, there's somebody laid out on the ground, semi-naked by the looks of it.

'Paramedic Kate Coughlin knows how serious this could be.'

'But first she needs to find out exactly what she's dealing with.'

Hello?

Now then, what's happening?

-My chest.

-You've got pains in your chest?

-Yeah.

Can we sit you up so we can have a look at you?

Sit yourself forwards so I can have a look.

'In order to tell if patient Michael Duffy is having a heart attack,

'he must be wired up to an ECG monitor.

'But with a history of heart problems, things aren't looking good.'

-Did it come on suddenly?

-Yeah, I was just driving on and it just...

Somebody nearly hit me on the corner back there

-and it made me jump and then...

-You started with some pains?

-Yeah.

-OK.

'The symptoms are textbook. Chest pain, shortness of breath, wheezing and nausea.'

-My arm's as sore as my chest.

-Right across your arms?

-Yeah, and under my arms.

-And under your arms. And your jaw?

-A bit.

-All right.

-My mouth's dry. Have you got any water?

-No, not at the minute.

As I say, we'll just pop you on this monitor

and then we'll just see what's going on.

'Michael has had a heart attack before, so he's painfully aware of what the symptoms may be leading to.

'But he reveals something none of the paramedics could've expected about the contents of his van.'

I've got all my pigeons in the back. You couldn't let them go, could you?

We'll sort you out before we worry about your pigeons.

But yes, don't you worry, we'll sort all that out.

'When you're having a heart attack, any extra stress could prove fatal.

'So to stop Michael worrying about his pigeons,

'one of the paramedics has had to let the birds go

'so they, and Michael, will be flying back to Leeds.'

We are in the north.

It's only a matter of time before there's some pigeons involved.

You don't get this down in London.

'The printout from the ECG shows Michael's heart is struggling with a blocked artery.

'A race to the specialist centre in Leeds to get the blockage removed is now his only chance of survival.'

If you're in the building trade, you live with the risks of the job.

But sometimes people can be hurt in the most bizarre ways.

Helimed 98. We've now lifted, en route.

We've just got reports of a male at a farm

just outside Pontefract in West Yorkshire.

We've got reports that a male's been injured by a forklift truck.

The forks at the front of the truck have flicked up

and hit him in his abdomen. Initial reports are saying he's not conscious

and not alert, so we've just set off straight away to back-up the land ambulance, really.

Doncaster, Helimed 98, very shortly landing.

-Hiya.

-All right?

-Are you all right?

-This is Peter.

-Hello, Peter.

-Peter's been moving this building...

-Yep.

-..with this forklift truck.

The forks have come off the truck and caught his midriff there.

-He has got an indent there.

-Right.

'Abdominal injuries are among the most serious paramedics can face.

'Patients can bleed to death internally.'

Just nice steady breathing for me. I'm just going to have a listen to your chest. Long, deep breaths.

All right? Paul's told me what's happened. Did you hear him talking about what had happened?

'Peter Pinnington's in so much pain, ground paramedics have already given him morphine.'

-Deep breath in for me. Good lad.

-Peter, have you got any pain there?

-No.

-Any pain there?

-No.

There? Any pain there?

So all your pain's just here.

You've no other pain anywhere else, have you? Good man. Just in there.

We were picking that trailer up

to put a block underneath it so we could couple it back onto this

and we were lifting it with this and the forks shot out

and it's come up and the fork's hit him on the chest.

All right, open your eyes for me nice and wide again.

We'll take him through to Pinders.

-It's just really tender...

-It's quite firm there.

'It's the tightness of Peter's tummy that's worrying paramedic Lee Gray.

'It's the most common symptom of internal bleeding.'

We'll treat him for the fact that he has possible internal bleeding

which is quite serious and even fatal,

depending what organ he's damaged.

So we'll get him straight off to hospital and get him some definite care.

I'm going to pop you on a little awkward carrying chair,

carry you over to the helicopter, then we'll take you through to Pinderfields

because you'll need to have your tummy scanned just to make sure you're all right, OK?

We're not worried too much. Your blood pressure's fine.

'Falling blood pressure and increased heart rate are the usual symptoms of internal bleeding.

'Peter has neither, but he's clearly in a bad way.

'Only hospital doctors will be able to get to the bottom of his problem.'

Nice and steady, Peter. Just stand for a minute.

-That's it.

-Good lad.

'The accident has happened just five minutes flying time from Pinderfields Hospital in Wakefield.

'Its state-of-the-art body scanner will be able to see what damage the forks have done.'

We've just got a little lip to go up here, Paul.

'Peter's still in pain and every step hurts.

'But this is better than a long off-road drive in a land ambulance.'

-Step up, Paul.

-What's hurting you?

-My chest here.

-Your chest.

Fortunately, he's got good air entry to both sides of his chest, which is most important.

But we're a bit worried about his tummy. It's quite rigid, quite firm. So we want an ultrasound.

'Even in the air, Lee can't relax.'

All your observations are fine now, Peter, so try not to worry.

We'll get you there, get you clear and then home hopefully.

'Behind the calm bedside manner is concern that his patient could suddenly deteriorate.

'And internal injuries are all but impossible to treat outside an operating theatre.'

-Sort of loop round and then come in.

-Yeah, that's what I'm going to do.

It's not going to be long now, Peter. We can see Pinders.

We'll be going down. You'll feel us turning. Don't worry, it's quite normal, OK?

'A surgical team is waiting to examine Peter

'but it turns out their skills are hardly needed.

'Apart from severe bruising, his major organs have not been damaged.

'And it's all thanks to the wallet in his overall pocket.

'It protected his abdomen from the worst of the impact.

'And he's soon well enough to go home.'

Now let's catch up on the case of Adrian, the young father trapped in his overturned car

after an accident in East Yorkshire.

'On a country road, a two-car crash has left a driver trapped in his overturned saloon.

'As firefighters try to release Adrian Hoggarth, his two children,

'18-month-old Alex and three-year-old Layla,

'are being cared for by the paramedics.

'Luckily, they were protected by top-of-the-range child seats.'

What appears to be their father, the driver,

he'd managed to get out of his seat belt

but he'd fallen to the bottom edge of the car,

which is the opposite side to where the driver's seat is.

It's possible that you might have fractured that leg, looking at the way you're laid.

We'll try and get you out as smoothly as we can, but it's not ideal. OK?

'Broken limbs can be life-threatening.

'Internal bleeding is a real risk from a injury like this.

'And that could be fatal.

'Paramedics also fear Adrian may have badly injured his back.'

-I'm just really uncomfortable cos I'm not able to support myself.

-We'll get you out as soon as we can.

'Back in the ground ambulance, little Alex is being put into a vacuum splint.

'It will immobilise his body until doctors can rule out internal injuries.

'Layla can talk and paramedics James and Darren are confident she isn't badly hurt.'

We're just making sure that everything's all right. And everything is.

'The children are bemused by the drama unfolding around them,

'and luckily, not too concerned about their daddy.

'That's largely thanks to the reassurance of James and Darren.'

You all right, matey? ALEX WHINES

Shh. It's OK. It's OK.

-What's that?

-It's a yellow helicopter.

It's a yellow helicopter. We're going to have a special ride on it. How does that sound?

-Does it take us home?

-It's going to take you to hospital to see the doctor.

'James and Darren are trying to turn their flight to hospital into an adventure.

'In reality, they're carefully monitoring the children's conditions.

'Under-10s often show little sign of serious injury

'until their bodies are overwhelmed and they deteriorate quickly.'

ALEX CRIES Hey. We're going to take you for a little ride.

We're going to take you for a ride in this little helicopter.

-And where are we sitting?

-You sit on my knee in here

or we can give you a special seat. Do you want a special seat?

-Shall we have a sit down on this chair?

-Yeah.

-OK.

-Who's going to drive?

-Christopher's going to drive.

'Helimed 99 is taking the children to hospital in Hull.

'But on the Yorkshire Wolds, the battle to free their father is continuing.'

Initially, we didn't think he'd got any injuries.

He was able to talk and explain to the firemen what had happened.

But now he's got pain in his leg.

It looks a little bit displaced.

So we'll treat him as if it's broken.

-I don't think we'll get a traction splint on in there, will we?

-No, we'll have to get him out.

'The paramedics are determined not to worsen Adrian's injuries.'

Just nice and steady now, OK?

'They'd really like to straighten his broken leg with a traction splint.

'This will prevent broken bones damaging blood vessels.

'But time is pressing and he's in terrible pain.

'They're going to take a calculated risk and move him first.'

'Coming up, Adrian's finally released.'

-Where are the kids?

-The kids have gone to the hospital.

'But after the family reunion, there's bad news about Dad's injuries.'

Now, remember the pigeon fancier whose heart attack came

as he drove his birds along a rural road in North Yorkshire? Let's catch up on his case.

'On a remote lane near the village of Ripley, pigeon fancier Michael Duffy

'is experiencing chest pains. The Helimed crew are with him

'but now an ECG has confirmed the paramedics' fears.

'Michael is having a heart attack.'

As I suspected from the initial ECG,

this chap is having a heart attack,

an inferior myocardial infarction,

which affects the bottom part of the heart,

which is really the business part of the heart, it does most of the work.

So it's a pretty serious emergency.

So he needs to go to the LGI and have an operation as soon as possible.

'Pilot Chris Atchel relocates the helicopter to a field with better access.

'Paramedic Al helps by improving the pathway through a damaged dry stone wall.'

It's a bit easier than trying to get him over the fence or the wall on the other side.

He has got a previous stent fitted from a MI a couple of years back

and he's got an inferior elevation in the inferior leads.

'With Michael's prize birds now safely on their way back to Leeds,

'and a dose of morphine taking effect,

'he's started to relax.'

-What's your pain like now?

-It's nearly gone.

-What are we at?

-Two.

-Two out of ten?

-Yeah.

He was very adamant that his pigeons weren't left in the van

and one of our IV drivers, Hannah, has just released them,

so all is well.

'It will only take a few minutes to transport Michael to Leeds General Infirmary

'where surgeons are ready to carry out potentially life-saving heart surgery.

'Five days later and Michael has been moved to Airedale Hospital near Skipton.

'Angioplasty surgery to remove the blockage in his artery has been successful.

'Some of the day's events are blurred, but he does remember his insistence

'that the paramedics put his pigeons first.'

I was bothered that they'd be left in the van

until whenever somebody who I know could pick it up for me

and they have young ones at home, so I begged and pleaded

and eventually somebody from the ambulance service let them go for me.

HE LAUGHS

'Two weeks on and Michael has been allowed to return home.

'People recovering from a heart attack are encouraged to have a relaxing hobby.

'So now Michael and his flock are recovering together.'

It's taking pride in it, you know,

that you bred that pigeon to do that

or you've got that pigeon to perform so well by feeding it right,

going back to diets, making sure their diet is right

and they get all the multi-vitamins and all the rest of it that I don't take.

'But now Michael's been given a similar healthy diet to his pigeons,

'who all managed to make it back home.'

I've been told off many times by family and friends,

who pointed out you can get more pigeons, you only have one life.

But if it wasn't for me, the pigeons wouldn't have been stuck in the predicament they were.

So it was my fault they were there, so it was up to me to make sure they got home.

By them letting them go, they were all back here.

'And on this unique occasion when he went head-to-head flying alongside his own pigeons,

'Michael has been left working out who'd win the air race.'

It took the pigeons about 11 minutes to get home. It probably took us three, four minutes, if that.

I got back from the hospital about half nine and she said everything was in the hut.

So she just locked them up and put some more corn down and called it a draw.

The next time you enjoy a bank holiday off, remember for some people

it's actually one of the busiest working days of the year.

And that includes the Helimed team.

'After a long winter, Easter marks the start of the tourist season in Yorkshire's dales and vales.

'And when Good Friday dawns with brilliant sunshine and warm temperatures,

'everyone wants to head out into the great outdoors.

'The bikers are back. And the roads are busy.

'But the bank holiday also means a hectic day for the Helimed team.'

-There's a big track just south of the hills.

-OK, mate.

'They've only just finished breakfast, but paramedics Tony and James

'are already on their way to the first job of the day.'

Little bit of information coming in about a job,

reports that someone's come off a horse

and they're unconscious, so we're making our way in that direction.

See what assistance we can give to the land crew.

'They're heading for Sheriff Hutton, a village with racing stables.'

If we pick up a person with significant head injuries,

the chances are they possibly will need surgery.

Radar, this is Helimed 99. We'll shortly be landing down. We'll call again lifting.

"Helimed 99, thanks, windy south-easterly, five knots."

Helimed 99, thanks.

-Debbie, can you tell me where you are?

-I think I'm at Walford's.

OK, you're doing better than I am. I don't know where I am myself. Do you remember what happened?

-Not really.

-She couldn't remember, she's concussed because she fell off.

'Debbie Cartwright was trying to ride a horse that had just thrown her teenage son Josh,

'when she too was catapulted into the air.'

We're going to put a collar on your neck, just as a precaution, don't move, just keep still.

-It keeps everything in the same place as a precaution. Were you wearing a helmet?

-Yeah.

'Debbie was unconscious for several minutes. But Josh stayed by his mum's side.

'They're very close and Josh's dad died very suddenly three years ago.

'Since then, they've been on their own.'

-Josh.

-Yeah?

-Stay with me.

-Josh, don't leave me.

-No, I won't.

Keep hold of that, don't let go. Thank you.

'Debbie is badly hurt. Her shoulder is shattered and broken bones have pierced her skin.'

This shoulder is going to need sorting out. It may need an operation, I'm not sure.

We'll deal with that when we get moved, OK?

'But James also fears she may have a head injury.'

-Do you know where you are?

-I think so.

-Good.

It might start to feel a bit warm, a bit swimmy, OK?

It's some nice strong painkillers before we move you.

'Debbie needs surgery. And that means a flight to Leeds General Infirmary,

'which has a neurological unit for her head and orthopaedic surgeons to repair her shoulder.

'It's rare for the Helimed team to fly relatives unless they're adults accompanying children.

'But Debbie is so determined not to lose sight of Josh, they're going to have to bend the rules.'

You come with us, pal, you come with us, we'll sort it out. You can jump in the back with me and Tony.

-How long was Mum unconscious for?

-About 30 seconds to a minute, I'd say.

-OK, good lad.

'Josh isn't complaining. He may be upset about his mum, but he's going to enjoy the flight.'

They seem like they're a very close family.

It seems a shame to split them up when we're heading 30 miles in the opposite direction.

It's not a bad day to up at 1,500 feet.

'Few teenagers get to experience the dramatic landing in the heart of Leeds City Centre.

'And Josh's presence is clearly calming his mum.

'That night, Debbie's shattered shoulder is repaired by surgeons.

'And a few days later, she's back with Josh and the horses.'

Josh was brilliant with me. I was desperate for him to stay with me.

Cos I am genuinely nervous of hospitals.

I'm used to my mum, when she falls off, just getting straight back up.

And when she didn't get up, it struck me then.

I thought, "Something is really wrong."

Poor lad. He tells me I swore at him as I started to come round.

Cos he said he was shouting at me, cos I was breathing awkwardly.

And she was quite scared at the time.

She was really nervous and didn't want me to leave her side, really.

'Easter is a busy time for church-goers.

'But here in Pendle, just over the border in Lancashire,

'hundreds of people have turned out to take part in an unusual tradition.

'The town is notorious for its witch trials in the 17th century. Ten women were hanged.

'Each year, painted eggs are rolled down the hill above the town

'in a custom thought to be linked to them. But today, the tradition has claimed a casualty.'

It's an access problem for the land ambulances.

As far as we're aware, they've despatched the local fire rescue team, who are en route.

And we are going to assist cos of the location problems they're having.

We've just got people out on the right.

Ignore that. This may not be them.

-No, it's not them.

-OK.

-'But at last they find her.'

-What have you done?

-I went completely over and I heard it snap.

-Do you know which way your ankle went?

Yeah, my foot went under me.

'Nicola Larnock was out with her family when she stumbled and injured her ankle. It's feared it's broken.'

Thankfully, the air ambulance has got here very quickly, which is honestly a blessing.

-How's that pain, sweetheart, now?

-Yeah, it's OK.

It's OK. We'll hold off with the strong stuff. If it does get too sore, just let us know.

But we'll get you on the board and into the aircraft and to the closest hospital.

'Anywhere else, this would be a minor injury.

'1,800 feet up in Ribblesdale, with a strong wind blowing, it's a serious matter.

'Helimed 99 is the only way down.'

I'm going to take your bad leg, OK? With your good leg, lift your bum onto that board for us.

'Nicola's getting cold, despite the bright sunshine. And her rescue is attracting quite a crowd.'

OK, nice and steady. OK and up!

'Her family is going to have to take the hard way down.

'But Nicola's on her way to hospital in Blackburn. At 150 miles an hour, it's going to be a short flight.

'The wind is adding 30 miles an hour to the chopper's speed.'

-We've got a bit of a wind.

-Yep.

-Can you see it?

-Yeah, I can.

'Most of the Helimed team's patients get to jump the queue at A&E

'because their injuries tend to be more serious than most.

'Not for Nicola. She'll have to wait for treatment as staff deal with the bank holiday rush.

'But within a few hours she's on her way home. Her ankle's only sprained.

'Perhaps she's another victim of the curse the witches are said to have put on the town of Pendle.

'Easter brings the year's first visitors out in North Yorkshire's rugged landscape.

'But some can't help but get up close and personal with it.

'Climbing is a major sport here.

'Especially when several weeks of sun have dried out the often slippery rock faces.'

It's a warm, sunny bank holiday weekend

and people are doing what they do on sunny bank holidays,

which invariably means falling off their motorbikes or their horses

or falling off cliff faces. So we're incredibly busy today.

'Helimed 99 is on its way to a crag above the village of Rylstone,

'a place made famous by the local WI.

'12 years ago, they stripped naked for a celebrated calendar

'that led to a movie and a West End musical.'

Just closing the door.

'Today the local mountain rescue team are putting on the show.

'They've turned out in force to help a climber who has come off a crag.'

We were on scene fairly quickly, before the ambulance,

which is unusual for us. It takes us a while to get going.

When we arrived on scene, the guy was in a hell of an amount of pain.

Morphine was administered to him to try and get some pain relief in.

'Tony has to hike a quarter of a mile from the chopper to join the rescue.'

Andy, listen to me, if it gets too sore, I want you to shout out and say, "Stop".

-We'll give you some more painkillers. OK, pal?

-OK.

'The climber has fallen in a difficult spot.

'He's surrounded by boulders on a steep cliff face.'

-Agh!

-Are you ready for some traction, James?

Agh!

'Their patient is in agony. His femur, the biggest bone in the body, is broken.

'And it's feared he's damaged his pelvis, too.

'James has morphine with him, but it's barely enough to ease the pain.

'Especially when they start to straighten his leg.'

-Yeah, that's fine, mate. Just...

-Oh, no!

'Extricating the climber from this spot calls for specialist help.

'And the RAF are going to provide it.'

We've requested rescue 128 from RAF Leconfield Search and Rescue to come.

They've just picked up some fuel and they're on their way now.

I'm going to relay some information to them

so they know what they're coming to.

The intention at the minute is to winch James up with the patient

then we'll fly probably to the LGI.

'This Sea King chopper, the same aircraft flown by Prince William,

'will winch their patient from the spot where he lies.

'But first the winchman has to make the tricky descent to study the lie of the land.'

-Hello, mate.

-You all right there? This is James.

-Hi, James.

-Is it all right if you take him with you?

-It is, yeah.

-Are we going to Harrogate Hospital, is it?

-No, to the LGI, I think.

'Tony and James have both flown with the RAF before.

'And today James is going to join his patient on the hair-raising flight to hospital.'

Can we confirm that LGI have been informed of the arrival of the rescue?

"Yeah, Roger. They are aware."

"They're on the pad and I've also informed the casualty staff with the injury details, over."

'Most climbers have a head for heights, which is just as well.

'This guy is about to experience a view of the Dales few have seen.

'Well, not lying down, at least.'

It's always awkward if you have to carry, you have to lower them down or bring them to the top.

It's not an easy place to get a helicopter in.

So the Sea King comes into its own there, as opposed to a long carry down to the air ambulance.

It's worth its weight in gold, really.

'It's been a difficult rescue. But at least their patient is on his way to treatment at the LGI.

'It'll be months before he's fit to climb again.

'Easter is a great time to take in some history.

'500 years after Henry VIII did his best to knock them down,

'Yorkshire's monasteries are still in business as tourist attractions.

'Thousands visit abbeys like Rievaulx every week

'to soak up the atmosphere and admire their crumbling beauty.

'But today, one young Easter visitor needs help.'

We're on our way to Fountains Abbey, which is near Ripon.

We've had a request there from a land crew.

There's a child there who has fallen off a wall.

Injury-wise, it sounds like he's got some fractures to his arms.

We don't know the severity of that

but the crew are worried about the transfer to hospital being over some rough terrain.

-We're going to come in over the abbey. Not too low.

-OK, mate.

'Pilot Matt Tacken is landing in the heart of the UK's biggest monastic ruin.

'He doesn't want to complete the job Henry VIII failed to finish.'

-Don't blow it over.

-If it crumbles as we approach, just keep going.

'Matt misses the buildings easily enough

'but avoiding the visitors brought out by a sunny day is rather harder.'

Do you want to stay running and me walk over?

'Shay Sullivan is four and he has broken his arm after falling off a wall dating back 800 years.'

-He's fallen off this wall.

-Yep.

-He's got no neurological deficit.

-He's just gone a little bit dizzy. He's been feeling ill.

-Right.

-He's got a good radial pulse.

-Yep.

-He's just got this fracture, dislocation by the looks of it. Just on his elbow there.

-Right.

'Shay was on a day out with his mum, dad and brother

'from their home in Northumberland when the accident happened.'

-How you feeling now, Shay?

-Not good.

-No? Is it hurting a lot?

-It is hurting more than it did do?

-Er, a bit.

I bet that splint has helped, hasn't it, putting that underneath?

'Paramedic Pete's a dad himself and he's trying his best to make it all sound fun.'

-Do you normally fall off rocks?

-Erm, not usually.

-Not as a rule, no?

You practising for being a stuntman when you grow up?

-No.

-That's probably a good job, isn't it, yeah?

-I think the easiest way probably would be to grab your chair and go across on your chair.

-Yeah.

Right. Do you think you can stand up with us now if we support this arm?

-Nice and steady.

-OK, and if you look round behind you,

can you see that wheelchair?

-There we are.

-Don't go falling again. We know what you're like on rocks.

'This isn't the way Mum and Dad expected their day out to end.'

We were just walking on the wall there and we asked him to get down

and he took a step down and fell down three foot onto his arm.

'Shay's break isn't too serious.

'But the flight to hospital would be more comfortable than the bumpy drive out of the abbey grounds.

'He was soon on his way home with an arm in plaster.

'And the Helimed team? Their Easter wasn't very restful or relaxing.

'But that's not why they come to work.'

And I'm pleased to say, all our bank holiday patients are recovering well.

But now let's get back to the case of the family whose car overturned

in a nasty accident on the Yorkshire Wolds.

'Adrian Hoggarth was driving his children home from a visit to their grandparents in East Yorkshire

'when his car was in a collision with another vehicle.

'Now firefighters are about to start the delicate process

'of removing him from his upturned Honda.'

-Put your arms across your body again for us.

-Everybody happy?

-Yep.

On slide. Ready, steady, slide!

That looks good to me. How does it look to you both down there?

'Adrian's leg is badly broken.

'And paramedics Pete and Sammy fear he may also have broken his back.'

-Take control of that leg.

-Right, got it.

-OK, the right leg externally rotating.

Ooh, don't put any weight on my right leg, please.

'The team have been forced to take a calculated risk,

'removing him from the car before they could straighten his leg.

'Now it must be put into a splint to prevent further injury to delicate blood vessels.'

That's looking... About another centimetre. That's good. Yep. Lovely.

-Where are the kids?

-The kids have gone to the hospital.

And we're going to take you to the same one.

'Thanks to Helimed 98, Adrian will be in hospital in Hull in less than five minutes.'

-It's purple.

-Yeah, I know, it's because you've bruised it, haven't you?

Show the doctor in a minute. We'll sort Alex out and then we'll have a look at your neck.

'Yesterday, football-fan Adrian was watching Hull City play.

'Now he's flying over their ground on final approach to the A&E unit at the Royal Infirmary.

'Tests will confirm that he has indeed broken his back.

'But all that matters to Adrian is that Layla and Alex are safe after a crash that could have killed them.'

Alex was hanging a bit from his seat because he was in the driver's car seat and crying quite a lot.

Layla was talking to me, telling me that she was hurting a bit.

But I knew she was at least conscious and I could talk to her and hold her hand,

to make sure she could do what I could do.

I just knew they had to get to hospital as soon as possible.

And the fact that they were going first was great.

They could get there as fast as possible and then deal with me cos I was a bit more stuck.

'Adrian faces four weeks on his back as his spine heals.

'But at least today he has a visitor to cheer him up.

'His wife Jahan has brought Layla to see her daddy.'

Daddy, can you tell me about the crash?

Well, we were very lucky, Layla.

We crashed but we are all all right.

Why did you not go in a helicopter?

I did, I went in a different helicopter. There were two helicopters came to help us.

-I went on a yellow one!

-Yeah, you did. It was very quick, wasn't it? Once it got up in the air.

It went all the way to the hospital, you were there really quick.

-Was it noisy?

-It was noisy.

Did you enjoy the helicopter? Are you going to go and see it again?

-No. Because I have to let somebody have a turn.

-Oh, very good.

That's very kind of you, Layla.

'For paramedic James Vine, this accident was very close to home.

'He has just become a dad himself.'

When you've got your own, it makes it more pertinent, you know how the parents are feeling.

I can't imagine how that poor dad was feeling.

He was severely injured and couldn't move

and his two children were secure in their car seats in the back of the car, waiting for the ambulances.

I can't imagine how he was feeling.

OK. What do you want me to draw?

'Three months later and keen artist Layla is back at home, creating.'

-And you're having long beautiful hair.

-Ah!

'And the three-year-old's subject today is Dad.

'Just pleased to stand and pose for her after months in a back brace.'

-Cheese!

-'Although badly injured himself,

'Adrian has been more worried about the effects the crash might have had on his children.'

Alex doesn't talk much about it. He was not talking much at the time.

He was injured and stopped walking for a little while.

And gradually recovered from that.

Layla talked about it a lot. And she asks a lot of questions.

And we took her to see a paediatrician just to see that that was OK and that was normal.

They said just answer the questions and gradually those will go and she will understand.

'Alex's wife Jahan says that the accident has brought the family much closer together,

'and she is very grateful to all the emergency services

-'who helped her husband and children escape their wrecked car.'

-I don't know these people.

They saved my children's lives, my husband's life,

by being quick, by being professional.

Everything's going to be OK.

-How old are you?

-I'm just three.

-You're just three!

They did an amazing job. I just can't thank them enough.

And you'll be pleased to know Adrian is now back at work full-time.

And little Layla is starting school.

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