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01
Nov
Harrogate man whose fingers were severed by lawnmower on TV tonight
A Harrogate man, whose fingers were nearly chopped off by a lawnmower, will share his story on television tonight (November 1).
Chris Gill, 48, helped a friend with some gardening in April. He was clearing the blades of grass from the lawnmower when his hand got mangled.
Three fingers were left hanging by a thin piece of skin.
Yorkshire Air Ambulance's critical care team was called to the scene from its Topcliffe air base and reached Chris within nine minutes of the call.
The incident will feature on tonight's episode of Yorkshire Air 999, a new series following the work of the emergency service.
Sam Berridge, who was one of the paramedics at the scene, said:
When you hear about fingers caught in machinery, the goal is to manage pain immediately and maintain blood supply to improve the chances of reattachment. Time is critical in cases like Chris’s, as prolonged lack of blood flow can mean tissue damage, affecting surgical success later.
Yorkshire Air Ambulance today said the critical care team was able to offer advanced medication and procedures not available to land crews. This includes stronger pain relief and specialist techniques to manage complex injuries.
The team used a ring block to help ease Chris’ pain and to stabilise his hand, but he still managed to crack a smile for the camera while paramedics tended to his fingers.
Paramedic Sam explained how the ring block works:
Each finger has four nerves — two at the top and two at the bottom. The ring block allows us to numb the area by targeting these nerves, effectively stopping the pain signals from reaching the brain.
Chris was given antibiotics to avoid infection from the soil and dirt on his hands, before being transferred to Leeds General Infirmary where he underwent a four-and-a-half-hour surgery.
Surgeons re-attached his fingers using four pins in his middle finger and one in his index finger.
Chris, who is a plasterer, expressed his gratitude for the air ambulance service:
I need my fingers for my work, so I’m incredibly thankful to the Yorkshire Air Ambulance team. Their support and expertise really made a difference that day.
While I face a long recovery and weekly physiotherapy, I’m hopeful about regaining full use of my hand. My fingers are still swollen and sore but keeping them is something I’ll never take for granted.
I feel very lucky they were there when I needed them most.
Chris Gill's hands now.
Chris’s story will feature on the first episode of Yorkshire Air 999, which will air on Quest on Fridays at 9pm.
Tonight’s episode will also cover a climber who fell 30 feet on one of the Yorkshire Three Peaks, an equestrian accident and a 13-year-old girl who suffered a serious asthma attack in the Dales.
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