0:00:02 > 0:00:06If you're critically ill or seriously injured,
0:00:06 > 0:00:09seconds count. And in Britain's biggest county,
0:00:09 > 0:00:11you can be a long way from help.
0:00:11 > 0:00:13- Where's the patient? - She's stuck under the car!
0:00:13 > 0:00:17The Yorkshire Air Ambulance flies at 150 miles an hour
0:00:17 > 0:00:21and thanks to its speed, hundreds of patients are alive today,
0:00:21 > 0:00:24saved by a highly-skilled team of doctors and paramedics.
0:00:25 > 0:00:27Stand clear, everybody!
0:00:27 > 0:00:31It covers some of the UK's most rugged landscapes,
0:00:31 > 0:00:34turning roadsides into operating theatres.
0:00:34 > 0:00:37I'm giving an emergency anaesthetic.
0:00:37 > 0:00:39And town centres into heli-pads.
0:00:42 > 0:00:47And every day, the Heli-Med teams' skill, speed and courage is saving lives.
0:00:56 > 0:00:58Today on Helicopter Heroes:
0:00:58 > 0:01:04a runner is fighting for his life after a night stranded on the freezing fells.
0:01:04 > 0:01:07He's spent all night on the moors with a broken leg.
0:01:07 > 0:01:11A bizarre crash leaves a biker badly injured.
0:01:11 > 0:01:13Once I got off the floor, I saw him under the car.
0:01:13 > 0:01:18A golfer is feeling below par after a painful slip on the green.
0:01:18 > 0:01:23Walked out of the bunker. Next thing, right leg disappeared underneath.
0:01:23 > 0:01:27And putting the flags out for the Jubilee ends in agony.
0:01:27 > 0:01:31He's fallen around five metres from a drainpipe at the side of his house.
0:01:36 > 0:01:40It's easy to forget that some of Britain's most beautiful places
0:01:40 > 0:01:43are also some of its most dangerous,
0:01:43 > 0:01:45especially if you're caught out by the weather.
0:01:45 > 0:01:48Here in the hills, the temperature drops by one degree
0:01:48 > 0:01:51for every 300 feet you climb,
0:01:51 > 0:01:55making even a spring evening lethally chilly.
0:01:55 > 0:01:58RADIO PIPS
0:02:00 > 0:02:05'It's seven o'clock. Police are appealing for help after a man went missing from his home
0:02:05 > 0:02:09'near Ramsbottom. 65-year-old Steven Iggulden was last seen yesterday afternoon.
0:02:09 > 0:02:13'Police and mountain rescuers have been involved in the search.
0:02:13 > 0:02:15'His family say they're extremely worried.'
0:02:15 > 0:02:201,500 feet up in the Pennines, the temperature plunged to minus two last night.
0:02:20 > 0:02:24But the Rossendale and Pendle mountain rescue team
0:02:24 > 0:02:27is about to make an extraordinary discovery.
0:02:28 > 0:02:31We're going to a patient who's fallen quite a long way.
0:02:31 > 0:02:33We think he's got a broken leg.
0:02:33 > 0:02:37We don't think there's a crew at the moment on scene,
0:02:37 > 0:02:40so we may well be first there.
0:02:40 > 0:02:45Pilot Steve Cobb must find a landing site on the hills above the remote Naden reservoir.
0:02:45 > 0:02:47It's not going to be easy.
0:02:47 > 0:02:50- Which way's the wind blowing? - It's behind us.- Right.
0:02:52 > 0:02:56What about on top of the... See where there's people in the red?
0:02:56 > 0:03:02There is a path on the far side that goes down. It's a bit of a trek but we can get down.
0:03:02 > 0:03:04I'll get round the back of these windmills.
0:03:04 > 0:03:08Mountain rescue have been searching for the missing fell runner.
0:03:08 > 0:03:09It's a familiar accident.
0:03:09 > 0:03:15But paramedic Graham Pemberton is about to find out that this is no ordinary case.
0:03:15 > 0:03:16Hello, mate. How you doing?
0:03:16 > 0:03:21This is Anthony. I'll give you the details.
0:03:21 > 0:03:24- Anthony's been here overnight. - I just heard.- 65-year old.
0:03:24 > 0:03:27He's conscious and breathing. He's quite confused.
0:03:27 > 0:03:29Right.
0:03:29 > 0:03:31Dressed in only a vest and shorts,
0:03:31 > 0:03:36their patient has survived 23 hours in sub-zero temperatures
0:03:36 > 0:03:38with a broken leg and a serious head wound.
0:03:38 > 0:03:41We were searching from nine last night till two this morning.
0:03:41 > 0:03:44We came back at first light this morning.
0:03:44 > 0:03:49A couple of bikers helped us in the search and one of them found him.
0:03:49 > 0:03:52The paramedics are down with him at the moment.
0:03:52 > 0:03:55They're assessing how he is.
0:03:55 > 0:03:58- Anthony?- Yes?- How you doing down there, mate?
0:03:58 > 0:04:00ANTHONY'S REPLIES INDISTINCT
0:04:02 > 0:04:04I don't know. How have you ended up down here?
0:04:04 > 0:04:09Anthony Iggulden, Steve to his friends, is a keen fell runner,
0:04:09 > 0:04:11competing in mountain marathons over rough terrain.
0:04:11 > 0:04:15His Alzheimer's has done little to reduce his stamina
0:04:15 > 0:04:19or his enthusiasm. But last night he failed to come home.
0:04:19 > 0:04:21Keep your arms down by your side, Anthony.
0:04:21 > 0:04:24Not much longer and we'll get you wrapped up nice and warm, mate.
0:04:24 > 0:04:28I've done motorbike events over these moors. I know it quite well.
0:04:28 > 0:04:31I looked in the bits the helicopter might not be able to spot.
0:04:31 > 0:04:34Little overhangs, some of the valleys that are tucked away.
0:04:34 > 0:04:39To be honest, it was touch and go whether I bothered coming this far out.
0:04:39 > 0:04:43We were just doing a final check on this side of the valley
0:04:43 > 0:04:48with their being some crags up there with overhangs,
0:04:48 > 0:04:50and went and had a check and as I came over the crest,
0:04:50 > 0:04:53although you don't expect to find anything,
0:04:53 > 0:04:57I had one of those moments where I thought, "That's the man."
0:04:57 > 0:05:00On move again. Ready, steady, move.
0:05:00 > 0:05:04We've had a lot of witnesses come forward, people in one area,
0:05:04 > 0:05:07and we concentrated our efforts on that area.
0:05:07 > 0:05:12From what I understand, the gentleman who located him, where he was last seen,
0:05:12 > 0:05:16his local knowledge is better than what we know about the area up here.
0:05:16 > 0:05:18Thankfully, he's gone and found him.
0:05:18 > 0:05:21Ready, steady, move.
0:05:21 > 0:05:23His rescuers now know why.
0:05:23 > 0:05:27But their patient's survival is in real doubt.
0:05:27 > 0:05:31He may need an RAF helicopter to winch him out.
0:05:31 > 0:05:34He's spent all night out on the moors
0:05:34 > 0:05:37with a broken leg, scalp injury.
0:05:37 > 0:05:42And I think he might have damaged his other leg as well.
0:05:42 > 0:05:45He's obviously suffering quite a lot of exposure.
0:05:45 > 0:05:51The RAF are being...a bit non-committal
0:05:51 > 0:05:52about whether they can get in to us.
0:05:52 > 0:05:56So we'll have to use mountain rescue to get him up the hill to our helicopter.
0:05:56 > 0:05:59It's feared he's fallen up to 50 feet down the cliff-face.
0:05:59 > 0:06:03He's confused, and that could be a symptom of a serious head injury.
0:06:03 > 0:06:06But hypothermia is the most imminent threat to his life.
0:06:06 > 0:06:09Anthony, is it hurting at all anywhere now,
0:06:09 > 0:06:11now we've dragged you round?
0:06:11 > 0:06:15He has been well wrapped up, but desperately needs hospital treatment.
0:06:15 > 0:06:20But first his rescuers need to work out how to carry him up the sheer cliff-face.
0:06:20 > 0:06:22It may take time that he cannot afford.
0:06:31 > 0:06:34If you ride a bike, all you have to protect you in an accident
0:06:34 > 0:06:37is your helmet, your boots and your leathers.
0:06:37 > 0:06:42And what you hit is entirely down to chance.
0:06:43 > 0:06:46The hill above the Yorkshire market town of Otley
0:06:46 > 0:06:48is called The Chevin.
0:06:48 > 0:06:51And its 1,000-foot summit, overlooking Wharfedale,
0:06:51 > 0:06:54is aptly named Surprise View.
0:06:54 > 0:06:57On a clear day, it's a popular destination,
0:06:57 > 0:06:59attracting hundreds of bikers and day-trippers.
0:07:00 > 0:07:03We can land this side. He can get through that gate.
0:07:03 > 0:07:065-8 over. Seeing the final approach. Over.
0:07:06 > 0:07:10The rider of this bike came out to enjoy the sights of Wharfedale.
0:07:10 > 0:07:15But the only view in front of him is the underside of a Ford Fiesta.
0:07:15 > 0:07:19- Hello, Stuart.- He has lost consciousness.- OK.
0:07:19 > 0:07:24- He's fully with us.- Lovely. - His shoulder is his priority.
0:07:24 > 0:07:25OK.
0:07:25 > 0:07:28Two bikes were involved in the crash.
0:07:28 > 0:07:32But the other rider was luckier than Stuart.
0:07:32 > 0:07:35The car pulled across the road to turn into this car park.
0:07:35 > 0:07:41The first rider bumped into him. Then obviously I did as well.
0:07:41 > 0:07:44Once I got off the floor, I saw him under the car.
0:07:44 > 0:07:49You keep still for us. You're just going to feel the helmet ease over your ears.
0:07:49 > 0:07:52Try and keep your head still for me.
0:07:52 > 0:07:54Just tilt it over his nose.
0:07:54 > 0:07:58- Oh!- Sorry, boss. Just pull it from the bottom.
0:07:58 > 0:07:59That's it. There you go.
0:07:59 > 0:08:04As well as some broken bones, Stuart has crush injuries.
0:08:04 > 0:08:08What I'd like to do now, boss, is stick a little needle in your arm.
0:08:08 > 0:08:12Can you talk to me when you're raising, so I'm ready? Let me know.
0:08:12 > 0:08:16- We're ready to raise more if you want.- Not yet. I need to listen to his chest first.
0:08:17 > 0:08:21Sammy is worried her patient's condition could deteriorate
0:08:21 > 0:08:23if the car is suddenly lifted.
0:08:23 > 0:08:28I'd like to have a needle in in case he drops his blood pressure when we do that.
0:08:30 > 0:08:33It could lead to uncontrolled internal bleeding.
0:08:34 > 0:08:36His injuries are pretty serious.
0:08:36 > 0:08:42Crush injuries are always a worry, so we want to get him to hospital as quickly as possible.
0:08:42 > 0:08:46He is able to breathe. It's just when you release him, with his blood pressure,
0:08:46 > 0:08:49I need to make sure I've got an option to give him something.
0:08:49 > 0:08:51All right? Two seconds.
0:08:52 > 0:08:56We've got these airbags that we put air into
0:08:56 > 0:08:58and it slowly pushes the car up.
0:08:58 > 0:09:01But it makes the car a bit unstable when we do that.
0:09:01 > 0:09:05so we'll have to chock it. We're on the call of the paramedics as well
0:09:05 > 0:09:07because he's been trapped for a bit of time
0:09:07 > 0:09:11and that causes crush injuries which causes more complications.
0:09:11 > 0:09:15Sammy makes sure everything is in place before they move him.
0:09:15 > 0:09:19Sammy knows releasing the weight of the car could harm her patient.
0:09:19 > 0:09:24She also knows it's something that has to be done - now.
0:09:32 > 0:09:36When it comes to dangerous sports, I wouldn't put golf near the top of the list!
0:09:36 > 0:09:42But you'd be surprised how often the Heli-Med team has to touch down on the fairway.
0:09:43 > 0:09:47They say golf is one of those games that's deceptively simple
0:09:47 > 0:09:50yet endlessly complicated.
0:09:50 > 0:09:54But today, a bit of overenthusiastic celebrating of a great shot
0:09:54 > 0:09:58has left one golfer with a painful injury.
0:09:58 > 0:10:00He played out the bunker. His ball's on the green.
0:10:00 > 0:10:04He just walked onto the bank, literally walked a yard,
0:10:04 > 0:10:05and his legs went from under him.
0:10:07 > 0:10:11There's a golf cart there. There is a crew on scene.
0:10:11 > 0:10:13Is it slightly to the right?
0:10:13 > 0:10:15There's three in the same vicinity.
0:10:15 > 0:10:18I'm not sure if that grid's 100 per cent accurate.
0:10:18 > 0:10:21This part of Yorkshire is a bit of a golfing hot-spot.
0:10:21 > 0:10:25Finding the right hole on the right course is going to be tricky.
0:10:25 > 0:10:29- There's quite a few close together. - There's three.
0:10:29 > 0:10:32I think that's it. I've played that.
0:10:32 > 0:10:35Paramedic James Vine is a golfer himself,
0:10:35 > 0:10:38clearly wishing he was playing a round today.
0:10:38 > 0:10:41DISCUSSION INDISTINCT
0:10:45 > 0:10:47Why don't we just go over and move the balls a bit?
0:10:47 > 0:10:50He's slipped and it's gone underneath him.
0:10:50 > 0:10:54- He's getting a bit numb, but he thinks it's from the position he's in.- Right.
0:10:54 > 0:10:56Rather than anything else.
0:10:56 > 0:10:58Keep going on that, mate.
0:10:58 > 0:11:02He's golfing and he's slipped on the bank. His leg's gone underneath him.
0:11:02 > 0:11:05It looks like he's dislocated his ankle.
0:11:05 > 0:11:09Golf's a game that's built around team work and camaraderie.
0:11:09 > 0:11:13Simon Darby's team mate, Steve, is clearly concerned.
0:11:13 > 0:11:16But not necessarily about Simon's injured leg.
0:11:16 > 0:11:19He's conceded my putt before he slipped
0:11:19 > 0:11:21so that's not bad going, is it?
0:11:21 > 0:11:23I got a result out of it.
0:11:23 > 0:11:25Trouble is, he was carrying me round the golf course!
0:11:25 > 0:11:28I don't know what I'm going to do for the next 12 holes!
0:11:30 > 0:11:35After what Simon has described as one of his best-ever bunker shots,
0:11:35 > 0:11:40he lost concentration, fell over and has a serious leg injury.
0:11:40 > 0:11:45With a deformity like this, it's crucial blood can still flow to the foot.
0:11:45 > 0:11:49The best way to sort that is also the most painful way.
0:11:51 > 0:11:54Keep going. Big deep breaths!
0:11:55 > 0:11:58They need to straighten and splint his leg.
0:11:58 > 0:12:01Keep going! Keep going!
0:12:01 > 0:12:02Has it gone back in?
0:12:02 > 0:12:05That looks better than it did.
0:12:05 > 0:12:09Golf courses can clearly be dangerous places.
0:12:09 > 0:12:13And even when the paramedics are with you,
0:12:13 > 0:12:15there are still hazards to watch out for.
0:12:15 > 0:12:17Watch this golf bag here!
0:12:17 > 0:12:20Just keep going. Watch it!
0:12:20 > 0:12:24- I've got spikes on! - I think you have.
0:12:24 > 0:12:26Haven't you?
0:12:26 > 0:12:29Looks like he's got a potential fracture dislocation of his ankle.
0:12:29 > 0:12:32The ankle's certainly dislocated.
0:12:32 > 0:12:34He's got a good pulse at the moment,
0:12:34 > 0:12:37so now we've aligned the fracture site,
0:12:37 > 0:12:42we'll get him down to LGI and let the orthopaedic surgeons have a look.
0:12:42 > 0:12:48Yes. 52 years. Isolated right ankle. It looks like it's dislocated.
0:12:48 > 0:12:51I've had a few jobs on golf courses. All of them have been a pain.
0:12:51 > 0:12:54This one's very good cos they don't mind you driving
0:12:54 > 0:12:58but a lot of them don't want you driving near the greens cos it's such an expensive thing.
0:12:58 > 0:13:03But people get ill on the golf courses. They have heart attacks or falls in the bunkers,
0:13:03 > 0:13:05as this gentleman's done.
0:13:05 > 0:13:08Just played a really good bunker shot, and just as I was feeling happy,
0:13:08 > 0:13:14I walked out the bunker and next thing the right leg disappeared underneath.
0:13:14 > 0:13:17Two cracks as I went down.
0:13:17 > 0:13:23As I was lying on my back, I realised my foot was at 90 degrees to my knee!
0:13:23 > 0:13:29- Get that score card marked up. I'll give you that.- I was holding the match together, as well!
0:13:29 > 0:13:31They won't win now without me!
0:13:36 > 0:13:39Simon's flight to hospital lasts just four minutes.
0:13:39 > 0:13:42No golfer wants their round to end like this.
0:13:43 > 0:13:45All this for a bunker shot!
0:13:45 > 0:13:48But it's clear Simon still has the game on his mind.
0:13:48 > 0:13:51You've got to see how close to the flag it finished!
0:13:52 > 0:13:56But it'll be a while before he's tee-ing off again!
0:14:07 > 0:14:11Now let's return to the windswept hills above Rochdale,
0:14:11 > 0:14:14where the team is fighting to rescue a fell runner
0:14:14 > 0:14:19who's lucky to be alive after a night in sub-zero temperatures.
0:14:19 > 0:14:23Fell running is a sport only for the fittest.
0:14:23 > 0:14:28Runners who take on gruelling marathons in treacherous terrain.
0:14:28 > 0:14:31Man against mountain. Injuries are common.
0:14:31 > 0:14:34But this runner is lucky to be alive.
0:14:34 > 0:14:37- Anthony, can you open your eyes for me?- Yes.
0:14:37 > 0:14:38Well done that man.
0:14:40 > 0:14:45Anthony, Steve to his mates, has survived a night in sub-zero temperatures,
0:14:45 > 0:14:48dressed in shorts and a running vest.
0:14:48 > 0:14:52Unfortunately, this male's come up on his own with no means of communication,
0:14:52 > 0:14:54no mobile phone or telephone.
0:14:54 > 0:14:58Obviously when he's not returned, there's no means to contact him.
0:14:58 > 0:15:01So they've contacted us about a missing person.
0:15:01 > 0:15:05When they came up last night, they contacted mountain rescue.
0:15:05 > 0:15:09The fact he's still alive is a little short of a miracle.
0:15:09 > 0:15:11I saw the chap laid against the fence there.
0:15:11 > 0:15:15We knew straightaway this is obviously the person we'd all been looking for.
0:15:15 > 0:15:21With him not moving, there was a time where I thought it might be the worst outcome.
0:15:21 > 0:15:24But as I got closer, I could see he was shivering
0:15:24 > 0:15:30so I dumped the bike, took off my fleece, covered him up as best I could.
0:15:30 > 0:15:32I think we're ready, lads.
0:15:32 > 0:15:36But paramedic Graham Pemberton is concerned about his patient's condition.
0:15:36 > 0:15:41As well as the cold, he's suffering from a deep head wound and a badly broken leg.
0:15:41 > 0:15:43How are you doing, Anthony? Open your eyes.
0:15:43 > 0:15:48Steve has Alzheimer's and his confusion is making the team's job harder.
0:15:48 > 0:15:55Graham has tried to call in an RAF helicopter to winch his patient from the hillside where he's lying.
0:15:55 > 0:15:59But it appears the terrain is too difficult, even for the military.
0:15:59 > 0:16:02I got the message that the RAF are not attending. Is that right? Over.
0:16:02 > 0:16:04'Confirmed.'
0:16:04 > 0:16:08Mountain rescue volunteers carry their patient up the treacherous hillside.
0:16:08 > 0:16:11But without an RAF Sea King to assist,
0:16:11 > 0:16:15the only option left is manpower and determination.
0:16:15 > 0:16:17It's quite a windy day and we're close to the wind farm.
0:16:17 > 0:16:23They were worried about where they were in proximity to these massive wind farms.
0:16:23 > 0:16:26It was a no-go for them, unfortunately.
0:16:26 > 0:16:28This is a lonely place.
0:16:28 > 0:16:32The route to safety takes them past abandoned miners' cottages,
0:16:32 > 0:16:35along a path trodden out by moorland sheep.
0:16:35 > 0:16:39- Can we have some ropes? - How many do you want, Ted?
0:16:41 > 0:16:44'As many as we can, just to get through this section. Over.'
0:16:44 > 0:16:46The rescuers are taking no chances.
0:16:46 > 0:16:52The safety ropes will prevent their patient plunging down the hillside for a second time.
0:16:52 > 0:16:54Can we get two of you down there?
0:16:54 > 0:16:58Steve's survival has amazed the emergency services.
0:16:58 > 0:17:01But not those who know the toughness of the average fell runner.
0:17:01 > 0:17:07He's a fit bloke, really. He's obviously a good fell runner.
0:17:07 > 0:17:11He was sheltered there in the valley, fortunately,
0:17:11 > 0:17:15and I think it was just below zero last night. Minus one, minus two.
0:17:15 > 0:17:21In cases like this, there's a temptation to raise the patient's body temperature quickly.
0:17:21 > 0:17:24But Graham won't be cranking up the heater on this flight.
0:17:24 > 0:17:28The normal procedure with hypothermic patients is you can warm them too quickly
0:17:28 > 0:17:30and send them into shock and cardiac arrest.
0:17:30 > 0:17:34So in hospital, they will warm them at one degree per hour.
0:17:34 > 0:17:38So if they're stable now, we don't do anything.
0:17:38 > 0:17:40We just keep them stable and take them to hospital
0:17:40 > 0:17:42and let the hospital deal with it.
0:17:42 > 0:17:45If we put the heaters on in the helicopter and warm him too quickly,
0:17:45 > 0:17:48we could make him a lot worse than he is already.
0:17:48 > 0:17:51But their patient's not out of the woods yet.
0:17:51 > 0:17:56Hypothermia and his head injury are a dangerous combination.
0:18:06 > 0:18:10Remember the biker trapped under a car after a freak accident in West Yorkshire?
0:18:10 > 0:18:13Let's find out how the operation to free him is going.
0:18:15 > 0:18:17Put this back here. Behind these two.
0:18:18 > 0:18:22Stuart Thornton's rescuers could be about to endanger his life.
0:18:22 > 0:18:26He had been pinned under this car for half an hour.
0:18:26 > 0:18:30The sudden release of its weight could lead to a cardiac arrest.
0:18:30 > 0:18:32We're going to get you safe first, sir.
0:18:32 > 0:18:34- Will it release me?- Yes, it will.
0:18:34 > 0:18:36Ready, steady, move.
0:18:36 > 0:18:41It's the back protector, that's what it is.
0:18:41 > 0:18:45At last he's out, and he has survived his release.
0:18:45 > 0:18:48But it's now clear he's very badly injured.
0:18:48 > 0:18:51Mind the leg. It's quite displaced off to one side.
0:18:52 > 0:18:56This is the impact his head made on the first car that hit him.
0:18:56 > 0:18:59And only now can Sammy examine him for broken bones.
0:18:59 > 0:19:02I'm just going to cut your shirt, OK?
0:19:02 > 0:19:05PATIENT CRIES OUT IN PAIN
0:19:05 > 0:19:08She suspects there are many.
0:19:08 > 0:19:11My mate's got your left leg, mate.
0:19:11 > 0:19:14He has some serious limb injuries.
0:19:16 > 0:19:18INDISTINCT
0:19:20 > 0:19:23Your pain. If ten is the worst pain imaginable,
0:19:23 > 0:19:26and zero is none, what number are you at?
0:19:26 > 0:19:28Eleven.
0:19:28 > 0:19:29Which bit hurts the most?
0:19:29 > 0:19:32- Left shoulder.- Your left shoulder.
0:19:32 > 0:19:35A pain score of 11 out of 10 isn't unusual.
0:19:35 > 0:19:38Morphine usually provides a temporary cure.
0:19:38 > 0:19:42You're just going to feel... It might feel a little cold going in.
0:19:42 > 0:19:44We're giving you morphine now.
0:19:44 > 0:19:47Then we can get you more comfy on the board.
0:19:47 > 0:19:49PATIENT GROANS
0:19:49 > 0:19:52All right, Stu. Right at the side. We'll come this way.
0:19:52 > 0:19:57Several emergency service teams have been helping Stuart.
0:19:57 > 0:19:59They are focusing on one thing.
0:19:59 > 0:20:03Getting him to hospital as quickly and as safely as possible.
0:20:03 > 0:20:08He was breathing OK, although the weight of the car was resting on his chest.
0:20:08 > 0:20:13Thankfully, the fire brigade weren't too long, so they managed to elevate the car,
0:20:13 > 0:20:15get him out, then we could do a full assessment.
0:20:15 > 0:20:19Under the circumstances, he should be, fingers crossed, OK.
0:20:19 > 0:20:22He was obviously wearing the right protective gear.
0:20:22 > 0:20:24So that's obviously helped him.
0:20:24 > 0:20:28A&E staff partly measure the severity of cases
0:20:28 > 0:20:31by what's known as "the mechanism of injury".
0:20:31 > 0:20:35It doesn't come much worse than the accident Stuart has survived.
0:20:35 > 0:20:37First, the impact with the car.
0:20:37 > 0:20:41Then the road, and finally being crushed by the Fiesta.
0:20:42 > 0:20:47It's not surprising that the LGI's trauma team sent him straight to surgery.
0:20:49 > 0:20:52He undergoes a long and complex operation to save his leg.
0:20:52 > 0:20:56His knee has to be rebuilt and several weeks later,
0:20:56 > 0:21:01he is still in hospital with metalwork and pins holding his broken bones together.
0:21:02 > 0:21:06The bottom half of my leg is separated from the top half
0:21:06 > 0:21:08and being held together with the framework.
0:21:08 > 0:21:12When the swelling goes down, we hope to rebuild the kneecap
0:21:12 > 0:21:16and then we'll take it from there.
0:21:16 > 0:21:21Stuart's bones are mending - and he has the itching to prove it!
0:21:21 > 0:21:24But he can't remember a thing about the accident.
0:21:24 > 0:21:27I've no idea. It's just...
0:21:31 > 0:21:35Three months later, and Stuart has made a special request.
0:21:35 > 0:21:38Hello! Pleased to meet you... Come on.
0:21:38 > 0:21:43He has asked if he can come and meet the paramedic team who helped him,
0:21:43 > 0:21:48to say thank you and to piece together exactly what he's been through.
0:21:48 > 0:21:52- Doing well. A couple more operations to go.- Have you?
0:21:52 > 0:21:57Then it could be another 12-month healing process, but we'll get there.
0:21:57 > 0:22:02The last time paramedics Sammy Wills and Al Day saw Stuart,
0:22:02 > 0:22:05they were dealing with his physical injuries.
0:22:05 > 0:22:09Today is about dealing with some of the emotional ones that came afterwards.
0:22:10 > 0:22:13Oh, look at that.
0:22:13 > 0:22:15That's the helmet. I remember when I looked back,
0:22:15 > 0:22:17that's the helmet I saw.
0:22:18 > 0:22:21See, I'm awake. I can't remember any of this.
0:22:21 > 0:22:24- 'What I'd like to do now, boss...' - A £700 helmet, ruined!
0:22:24 > 0:22:26They're so cool about it!
0:22:26 > 0:22:29It's their day-to-day job.
0:22:29 > 0:22:34For me, if I were to attend a scene such as mine,
0:22:34 > 0:22:38I'd just flip out. "Where do we start from here?"
0:22:39 > 0:22:42But they're professionals. They know what they're doing
0:22:42 > 0:22:44and you've got to let them do it.
0:22:45 > 0:22:48- That's what I hit with my head. - That's why you hit that thing there.
0:22:50 > 0:22:51I cut my leg.
0:22:51 > 0:22:53VIDEO CONTINUES
0:22:57 > 0:22:58Are you all right?
0:22:58 > 0:23:02I feel so grateful, having seen the video,
0:23:02 > 0:23:05of how many people attended.
0:23:05 > 0:23:08The emergency services that attended.
0:23:08 > 0:23:11The effort that went in to rescue me...
0:23:18 > 0:23:20I just owe them so much.
0:23:20 > 0:23:22I'm really grateful.
0:23:30 > 0:23:32What goes up must come down.
0:23:32 > 0:23:35Gravity is one of our biggest enemies.
0:23:35 > 0:23:38It's responsible for thousands of injuries each year,
0:23:38 > 0:23:42and it catches people out in the strangest ways!
0:23:42 > 0:23:45It's the Queen's Diamond Jubilee
0:23:45 > 0:23:47and Britain is putting out the flags.
0:23:47 > 0:23:50It's a four-day bank holiday for most of us,
0:23:50 > 0:23:53but not for the Heli-Med team.
0:23:53 > 0:23:58We're on our way to a chappie who's fallen off the roof of his house,
0:23:58 > 0:24:03which is never a good thing to do, I wouldn't have thought.
0:24:03 > 0:24:10He's fallen quite a long way. They reckon about six metres, which is quite a substantial fall.
0:24:10 > 0:24:13He's landed and banged his head. He appears to have a head injury.
0:24:13 > 0:24:16In the village of Kettlethorpe, near Wakefield,
0:24:16 > 0:24:21Wayne Beddoes' attempts to raise the Union flag on the roof of his house didn't go according to plan.
0:24:21 > 0:24:23We've got a gentleman who's had a fall.
0:24:23 > 0:24:29He's fallen about five metres from a drainpipe on the side of his house.
0:24:29 > 0:24:33He's climbed up to put a flag on the drainpipe and he's fallen straight down on his right hand side.
0:24:33 > 0:24:39He has a potential head injury. A lot of blood is coming from his right ear and a lot of swelling.
0:24:39 > 0:24:43Wayne decided to make his patriotic ascent after a few drinks.
0:24:43 > 0:24:46He has also broken his wrist and is agitated.
0:24:46 > 0:24:49This could be a further sign of a very serious head injury.
0:24:49 > 0:24:52- How agitated is he?- He's not agitated enough not to fly.
0:24:52 > 0:24:57But he's agitated enough to keep pulling his collar off cos he says it's uncomfortable.
0:24:57 > 0:25:00The priority is to get Wayne to hospital quickly.
0:25:00 > 0:25:03Wayne? Wayne, my name's Andy.
0:25:03 > 0:25:06- Right.- We're air ambulance paramedics.
0:25:06 > 0:25:10We're just going to transport you, OK, to Leeds General.
0:25:10 > 0:25:14You've got some blood coming out your ear. We're a bit concerned by that.
0:25:14 > 0:25:17We need you to stay nice and calm and still, all right?
0:25:17 > 0:25:20- Will you tell my parents?- They're outside. We've told them.
0:25:20 > 0:25:21OK?
0:25:21 > 0:25:25Fortunately, the land crew have done much of the hard work.
0:25:25 > 0:25:28Wayne is immobilised on a spinal stretcher.
0:25:28 > 0:25:31He just needs moving to the waiting chopper.
0:25:31 > 0:25:34- Ready, steady, move.- Super.
0:25:34 > 0:25:41Wayne's been on the top of his house, putting on an England flag, holding on to a drain pipe.
0:25:41 > 0:25:43He's fallen approximately five metres.
0:25:43 > 0:25:46He's landed heavily on his right side.
0:25:46 > 0:25:48But Wayne is still in trouble.
0:25:48 > 0:25:51The brain floats in a bath of liquid called CSF.
0:25:51 > 0:25:53The paramedics think it may be leaking.
0:25:53 > 0:25:56We're not sure if there's CSF coming from his right ear.
0:25:56 > 0:25:59GCS... Not sure, no.
0:25:59 > 0:26:01GCS 14 out of 15.
0:26:01 > 0:26:04He's had a little bit of drink
0:26:04 > 0:26:06and he's also got a right wrist fracture.
0:26:06 > 0:26:09We'll be with you in about... How long, Chris, from here?
0:26:09 > 0:26:11Five minutes, mate.
0:26:14 > 0:26:17Wayne is being taken to the Leeds General Infirmary
0:26:17 > 0:26:20which has a specialist neurosurgery unit.
0:26:20 > 0:26:22If you get a leak from the ear,
0:26:22 > 0:26:27generally there's a fracture in the bottom of the skull, the cranial vault.
0:26:27 > 0:26:32It's where the brain sits. So it's quite concerning if there's a fractured base of skull.
0:26:32 > 0:26:36As Wayne touches down on the rooftop heli-pad of the LGI,
0:26:36 > 0:26:39expert staff below are gathering ready to assess his injuries.
0:26:39 > 0:26:44Wayne is still conscious, but it's hard to determine whether his slurred speech
0:26:44 > 0:26:47is the result of his head injury or drink.
0:26:47 > 0:26:49Couple of bumps.
0:26:50 > 0:26:53We're nearly down there, fella.
0:26:53 > 0:26:57Paramedic Andy knows only too well that his fall could have been fatal.
0:26:57 > 0:27:00But Wayne is still conscious and is now in expert hands.
0:27:00 > 0:27:03- How we doing?- Well.
0:27:03 > 0:27:07We've got Wayne. He's been climbing up a drainpipe to put a flag up
0:27:07 > 0:27:09and he's fallen about five to six metres.
0:27:09 > 0:27:13He landed on his right side and banged his head.
0:27:13 > 0:27:16Injuries from top to toe. Right side haematoma on his head.
0:27:16 > 0:27:19Blood coming from his ear. Not aware if there's any CSF.
0:27:19 > 0:27:25Thankfully, the head injury turns out not to be too serious.
0:27:25 > 0:27:27But he still spends the Jubilee in hospital.
0:27:29 > 0:27:32Flying is the most obvious way to defy gravity.
0:27:32 > 0:27:35But some ways of joining the birds are safer than others.
0:27:36 > 0:27:42For some, overcoming the force of gravity is all part of their sport.
0:27:42 > 0:27:46The Peak District attracts paragliders and hang gliders
0:27:46 > 0:27:48from right across the country.
0:27:48 > 0:27:51They're all drawn to the dramatic landscape
0:27:51 > 0:27:54which provides equally dramatic thermals to keep them in the air.
0:27:54 > 0:28:00But the emergency services around here are often picking up the pieces
0:28:00 > 0:28:01when things go wrong.
0:28:01 > 0:28:05On this summer evening, they're all heading to a remote field near Hathersage
0:28:05 > 0:28:09where a hang glider has been seen plummeting to the ground.
0:28:09 > 0:28:15This is 99. Can you just confirm whether this person's been located and the grid's accurate?
0:28:15 > 0:28:17- Over.- 'Roger. Negative.
0:28:17 > 0:28:23'The patient has not been physically located as yet.'
0:28:23 > 0:28:25We don't really know where this person is.
0:28:25 > 0:28:30We've got a general vicinity so we might have to look around for him.
0:28:30 > 0:28:34We're quite used to looking for these gliders and light aircraft.
0:28:34 > 0:28:37Hopefully we shouldn't be too long finding him.
0:28:37 > 0:28:40But amongst all these rolling hills and steep crags,
0:28:40 > 0:28:44finding the injured pilot isn't going to be easy.
0:28:44 > 0:28:45Could be anywhere round here.
0:28:45 > 0:28:48What's this in the field just below us here?
0:28:50 > 0:28:52Right on the nose.
0:28:52 > 0:28:56Radar Heli-Med 99. We're setting down. We'll call again later.
0:28:56 > 0:29:01- I thought our guy was in a tree? - That's what I heard.
0:29:03 > 0:29:05Yes, there's somebody working. Somebody's in there.
0:29:05 > 0:29:10A mountain rescue doctor is already treating the injured pilot.
0:29:10 > 0:29:12He's a hang glider, 40 years old.
0:29:12 > 0:29:16Came in at normal hang glider speed and messed up his landing.
0:29:16 > 0:29:19A is fine, B is fine, C is fine.
0:29:19 > 0:29:23He has a left wrist fracture. He lost consciousness shortly after I arrived.
0:29:23 > 0:29:26We saw him coming in to land. He was quite high.
0:29:26 > 0:29:30He's come back round. Then I saw him get behind the hill.
0:29:30 > 0:29:36Half an hour later I came back through the fields to get something out of my car
0:29:36 > 0:29:39and noticed that he was obviously in a bad way.
0:29:39 > 0:29:40Can we move that arm?
0:29:40 > 0:29:42How you doing, Bob?
0:29:42 > 0:29:44Bob? Are you OK, mate?
0:29:44 > 0:29:48Bob Whitehead's only obvious injury is to his wrist.
0:29:49 > 0:29:52But he's been drifting in and out of consciousness,
0:29:52 > 0:29:55a strong indication of a serious head injury.
0:29:55 > 0:30:01- Any pain in his hips?- He didn't say. - Nothing at all?
0:30:01 > 0:30:04- So the only pain is his wrist. Nothing else at all?- No.
0:30:04 > 0:30:06He didn't say anything.
0:30:06 > 0:30:11But even so, John's still worried about potential spinal injuries.
0:30:12 > 0:30:15On my three. One, two, three.
0:30:15 > 0:30:17OK. Let's get him all together. Tell me when you're ready.
0:30:17 > 0:30:22No, hang on a minute. Can we just stop? Can we just stop?
0:30:22 > 0:30:25We're not shuffling him anywhere. We need to slide him down and back up
0:30:25 > 0:30:27because the head box can't get on, right?
0:30:27 > 0:30:30So we need to go down on your call,
0:30:30 > 0:30:32slide down about six inches
0:30:32 > 0:30:35- and then we'll slide him back up. - OK.- On your call.
0:30:35 > 0:30:37One, two, three.
0:30:37 > 0:30:42He crashed on landing. He's got a fractured left arm.
0:30:42 > 0:30:46It seems he's hit the ground at a fair old whack, coming in to land.
0:30:46 > 0:30:50He somehow lost control of whatever it is. He's impacted the ground quite hard.
0:30:50 > 0:30:52OK? And lower.
0:30:52 > 0:30:57The doctor on scene said he was initially quite conscious
0:30:57 > 0:31:00then he dropped down to unconscious then came back but is now confused.
0:31:00 > 0:31:02That's obviously quite concerning.
0:31:02 > 0:31:07I've rung Northern General already. We need to get him on helicopter and get going.
0:31:07 > 0:31:08Keep his head up, please.
0:31:08 > 0:31:10Ready, steady, lift.
0:31:14 > 0:31:18So now this pilot is heading back up again.
0:31:18 > 0:31:21But this time with two jet engines to keep him airborne.
0:31:21 > 0:31:24In hospital, he'll undergo a full trauma scan
0:31:24 > 0:31:27to discover exactly what damage he's done.
0:31:27 > 0:31:31And if his days as a hang glider pilot are now over.
0:31:32 > 0:31:36Luckily, his back injury is treated successfully
0:31:36 > 0:31:39and he'll be able to rejoin the birdmen of the Peaks next year.
0:31:41 > 0:31:44If your job involves a head for heights,
0:31:44 > 0:31:47it's as well to remember that even years of experience
0:31:47 > 0:31:50won't protect you if you lose your balance and trip.
0:31:50 > 0:31:55Every year, nearly 3,000 workers are injured in accidents involving falls.
0:31:57 > 0:32:01Today, the Heli-Med team is landing at a remote farmhouse in North Yorkshire.
0:32:01 > 0:32:06- I was looking at this lone farm. - Somebody's in the field there waving.
0:32:06 > 0:32:08Ah, I see them.
0:32:10 > 0:32:15Just moments ago, window fitter Andy Brown was up this ladder.
0:32:15 > 0:32:20Now he's in agony, after falling face-first into the flower bed below.
0:32:20 > 0:32:24He's 35 years old. No previous allergies. Not on any medication.
0:32:24 > 0:32:28- He's been on that ladder. See that near the guttering?- Yep.
0:32:28 > 0:32:31He was on there and the ladder went from underneath him.
0:32:31 > 0:32:35I think he's gone down on his face. He's been unconscious for three to four minutes.
0:32:35 > 0:32:38He can't remember very much about it.
0:32:38 > 0:32:41He was up on the ladder just mastic-ing the window.
0:32:41 > 0:32:46Apparently the ladder slipped. I wasn't here. The lads were here.
0:32:46 > 0:32:49He's got pain in his right trichantha area when we palpated
0:32:49 > 0:32:52and he did have rotation of that foot but we've corrected that.
0:32:52 > 0:32:54What's he scoring out of ten with that?
0:32:54 > 0:32:58- What's your pain score now, Andy? - Not so bad as long as I'm still.
0:32:58 > 0:33:03Long as you're still. Have a gasp of Entonox cos we're going to move you a few inches, sweetheart.
0:33:03 > 0:33:07Andy was on that end window, where the ladder has fallen.
0:33:07 > 0:33:09It's gone and slid underneath it.
0:33:09 > 0:33:14He was unconscious on the floor. We didn't move him. Just rang the ambulance straightaway.
0:33:14 > 0:33:17He was shaking quite a bit.
0:33:17 > 0:33:19Cos of the type of fall you've had,
0:33:19 > 0:33:21and what's been described as happening to you,
0:33:21 > 0:33:25- we'll take you to Leeds rather than to Harrogate.- Right.
0:33:25 > 0:33:29It's a new system that's come in. Basically, you go where all the resources are,
0:33:29 > 0:33:32should you need them. We're not saying you're going to need them,
0:33:32 > 0:33:36but if you do, they're there, if not they'll take you to where you need to be.
0:33:36 > 0:33:37- OK?- OK.
0:33:39 > 0:33:43'I've got a 26-year-old male that's been working up a ladder.
0:33:43 > 0:33:47'He's fallen approximately ten feet from the ladder.
0:33:47 > 0:33:50'Believed to land face down on his head.
0:33:50 > 0:33:53'Initially K-O'd for four to five minutes.'
0:33:53 > 0:33:56Looks like he could have fractured his femur,
0:33:56 > 0:34:01probably some pelvis and maybe some head injuries, cos he was unconscious.
0:34:01 > 0:34:04I know that wrist is hurting, but can you just straighten that for me?
0:34:04 > 0:34:10After such a serious fall, paramedic Pete is keen to keep an eye on Andy's blood pressure
0:34:10 > 0:34:12and his racing pulse.
0:34:12 > 0:34:18Heart rate's up a little bit. But if I'd fallen off a ladder, nose-dived into somebody's garden
0:34:18 > 0:34:20and then had a ride in a helicopter, I think mine would be going up too!
0:34:20 > 0:34:25OK. Just try and relax as much as you can for us.
0:34:25 > 0:34:27- Engine control switches.- Fine.
0:34:27 > 0:34:29- Both confirmed to fly.- Got those wires in front of us.
0:34:29 > 0:34:31Yes, got the wires.
0:34:31 > 0:34:36And so, just minutes after plummeting down to the ground,
0:34:36 > 0:34:40Andy is now heading back upwards and off to the trauma centre in Leeds.
0:34:42 > 0:34:48Doctors at the LGI find Andy's injuries are extensive but not too serious.
0:34:48 > 0:34:52And he's soon fit enough to go back up his ladder.
0:34:53 > 0:34:57And you don't have to be at work to become a victim of gravity.
0:34:57 > 0:35:03Diving into water to cool off on a hot day can lead to serious injury or death.
0:35:04 > 0:35:08It's hard to resist when the temperature soars,
0:35:08 > 0:35:12but not everyone has the seaside on their doorstep.
0:35:12 > 0:35:16Sadly for one swimmer who forgot to look before he leapt.
0:35:16 > 0:35:18He's jumped off the top of there.
0:35:18 > 0:35:22And his foot's hit the side
0:35:22 > 0:35:25and all his foot's twisted round.
0:35:27 > 0:35:30I can imagine the reason why it's caught him.
0:35:30 > 0:35:33Cos people do get killed doing this sport.
0:35:33 > 0:35:38This chappie, it sounds like he's got a leg injury,
0:35:38 > 0:35:40possible chest and neck injury.
0:35:40 > 0:35:42And he's got difficulty breathing.
0:35:42 > 0:35:45So that's why we're en-route.
0:35:46 > 0:35:50- Right. I can see the quarry and I can see the water.- Yep.
0:35:50 > 0:35:54- Oh, that is quite steep actually. - Yeah, it is.
0:35:55 > 0:36:00But dusty quarries are difficult places to land a three-tonne helicopter.
0:36:00 > 0:36:05The sand can cause a dust cloud which stops the pilot being able to see.
0:36:05 > 0:36:07I wish he'd go to the right, so we have a marker.
0:36:07 > 0:36:11- No messing about here, guys. Lots of sand.- Okey-dokes.
0:36:18 > 0:36:20Look at that!
0:36:20 > 0:36:24- Beautiful.- You don't mess about with that kind of stuff.
0:36:25 > 0:36:29But once the dust clears, paramedic Andy Armitage
0:36:29 > 0:36:32is able to discover the bizarre story of what's just happened.
0:36:32 > 0:36:37- This is Nigel.- Hiya, Nigel. - He's 30 years old.
0:36:37 > 0:36:41He's banged his leg as he's gone down. He's not lost consciousness.
0:36:41 > 0:36:45He swam out of it. They tried to carry him but the pain was too much.
0:36:45 > 0:36:50He's got... It is an open fracture but a slight open fracture.
0:36:50 > 0:36:54- Quite swollen.- We tried carrying him, but he were in too much pain.
0:36:54 > 0:36:55We got him from there, right.
0:36:55 > 0:36:58- It were a right mission, wasn't it? - Yeah.
0:36:58 > 0:37:01I just want to make sure you've not down owt to your neck or back.
0:37:01 > 0:37:02We're going to put you on that board.
0:37:02 > 0:37:05It was certainly an ambitious jump.
0:37:05 > 0:37:08Pilot Steve Waudby can hardly believe what he's hearing.
0:37:08 > 0:37:11He hit the side and then tumbled down?
0:37:11 > 0:37:13It's raving mad, if you ask me.
0:37:13 > 0:37:15He jumped off the top, where the pipes are,
0:37:15 > 0:37:18all the way down. There's water pumps submerged
0:37:18 > 0:37:20so you can't see them anyway.
0:37:20 > 0:37:24It looks as though he's hit halfway down, tumbled,
0:37:24 > 0:37:27fallen into the water, broken his leg.
0:37:27 > 0:37:30Then his mates have had to help him swim to the side.
0:37:30 > 0:37:36And he's just been washing his foot in this filthy water with an open fracture!
0:37:37 > 0:37:40While Nigel is prepared for his flight to surgery,
0:37:40 > 0:37:44the police are interested in catching up with his mates.
0:37:44 > 0:37:47They're keen to know exactly why they were here
0:37:47 > 0:37:50and how he picked up such a nasty injury.
0:37:50 > 0:37:53He's got a fracture to his left ankle
0:37:53 > 0:37:55which is open.
0:37:55 > 0:38:00He's jumped into this quarry, which is dirty, so it's open to infection.
0:38:00 > 0:38:01It'll need a bit of cleaning up.
0:38:01 > 0:38:04Orthopaedics will need to look at that.
0:38:05 > 0:38:08With a departing sandstorm,
0:38:08 > 0:38:11Nigel's on his way to have his broken leg pinned together
0:38:11 > 0:38:15with the promise that his cliff-diving days are over.
0:38:16 > 0:38:21I'm pleased to say all our patients are recovering from their brush with gravity.
0:38:21 > 0:38:25But what about the fell runner who spent a bitterly cold night out on the Peaks?
0:38:25 > 0:38:28Let's catch up on his case.
0:38:30 > 0:38:34Heli-Med 99 has just taken off from a hilltop above Rochdale,
0:38:34 > 0:38:37carrying a man who should not be alive.
0:38:37 > 0:38:43Steve Iggulden fell down a rock face and broke his leg 24 hours ago.
0:38:43 > 0:38:46He was so difficult to find. They were out all night looking for him.
0:38:49 > 0:38:52Now, after a night in temperatures of minus two,
0:38:52 > 0:38:57the team have started the long process of heating him up in mid-air.
0:38:57 > 0:39:02Manchester's Wythenshawe Hospital is just ten minutes' flying time.
0:39:02 > 0:39:04Specialists are waiting to examine him.
0:39:04 > 0:39:08The fact that he runs every day across the moors has kept him alive.
0:39:08 > 0:39:11Cos he's so fit, it's kept him alive through the night.
0:39:11 > 0:39:15If it had been a more frail person of his age,
0:39:15 > 0:39:18I don't think it would be the same outcome.
0:39:18 > 0:39:22Their patient's family feared he was lying dead out on the moors.
0:39:22 > 0:39:27Now his relieved wife and daughter are on the way to the hospital by road.
0:39:27 > 0:39:30And his survival is already making headlines.
0:39:30 > 0:39:34NEWS: 'A man who went missing from his home near Ramsbottom on Sunday
0:39:34 > 0:39:37'has been found by Rossendale and Pendle Mountain Rescue team.
0:39:37 > 0:39:42'He'd fallen down a 70-feet drop and suffered a fractured skull and punctured lung.'
0:39:42 > 0:39:46Slowly, doctors raise Steve's body temperature to normal levels
0:39:46 > 0:39:48and he responds well.
0:39:48 > 0:39:52A month later and he's been moved to North Manchester General Hospital.
0:39:52 > 0:39:56His leg was badly broken in the fall and he's still in a wheelchair.
0:39:56 > 0:39:59But otherwise, he's making a good recovery.
0:39:59 > 0:40:01- I brought us some tea.- Oh, good.
0:40:01 > 0:40:05Steve has cheated death by the narrowest of margins.
0:40:05 > 0:40:08But while his body is super-fit,
0:40:08 > 0:40:12as an Alzheimer's sufferer, mentally he is still confused.
0:40:12 > 0:40:14- That's nice.- Is that nice? - It's good.
0:40:14 > 0:40:17His onset of Alzheimer's has been very, very gradual.
0:40:17 > 0:40:20And he's remained very fit,
0:40:20 > 0:40:22physically fit and well throughout.
0:40:22 > 0:40:24He does have disabilities from it,
0:40:24 > 0:40:28but one of his main joys has been to run, swim, go to the gym.
0:40:28 > 0:40:30He really loves the outdoors.
0:40:30 > 0:40:34It's always been, for the last two or three years,
0:40:34 > 0:40:36um...
0:40:37 > 0:40:40..a difficult risk to take.
0:40:40 > 0:40:45Because he's not frail. He's very active, very energetic.
0:40:45 > 0:40:50So I've tried to always keep an eye on him in strange places,
0:40:50 > 0:40:51when we're away.
0:40:51 > 0:40:54But he has, up till now, been safe.
0:40:54 > 0:40:59For Helen, the 23 hours she spent waiting for news of her husband
0:40:59 > 0:41:02as mountain rescue teams combed the moors,
0:41:02 > 0:41:05will not be easily forgotten.
0:41:05 > 0:41:09But as the evening drew in, she became increasingly concerned.
0:41:09 > 0:41:13A very good friend of mine came and sat with me.
0:41:13 > 0:41:15We must have had about 20 cups of tea.
0:41:15 > 0:41:21I kept thinking, "God, this is a horrible nightmare. I wish I'd wake up."
0:41:21 > 0:41:25It really, I thought, "This is so awful, it just can't possibly be true.
0:41:25 > 0:41:28"I must be having a really bad dream."
0:41:28 > 0:41:33Steve and his legendary fitness are well known to many of his rescuers.
0:41:33 > 0:41:36While the odds were against him surviving that night,
0:41:36 > 0:41:40some of the searchers were optimistic he'd be found alive.
0:41:40 > 0:41:43The first thing he said to me was, "I'm sorry."
0:41:45 > 0:41:51So he was aware the whole time, even though he had a head injury,
0:41:51 > 0:41:54he'd been aware through the night.
0:41:54 > 0:41:57He said to me later, he'd thought he was a gonner.
0:41:57 > 0:42:02And there was no point in shouting because there was nobody around and it was pitch black.
0:42:03 > 0:42:05He does remember the fall,
0:42:05 > 0:42:08but I haven't probed him about it.
0:42:08 > 0:42:12Cos probably it's better that we just sort of think,
0:42:12 > 0:42:17"That was a horrible experience. We don't want to go on and on re-experiencing it."
0:42:17 > 0:42:20Steve's injuries from the fall will heal.
0:42:20 > 0:42:23For his family, there are still tough times ahead,
0:42:23 > 0:42:29but they can take comfort in the fact that he is a survivor. He will not give up without a fight.
0:42:29 > 0:42:34You won't be surprised to hear that Anthony isn't planning on hanging up his running shoes just yet.
0:42:34 > 0:42:39He intends to get back out on the fells as soon as his leg is healed.
0:42:53 > 0:42:56Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd