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22
Nov
Hampsthwaite man to recall horrific motorbike crash on TV tonight
A man who was thrown 15 metres off his motorbike in a high-impact crash near Harrogate will recall the incident on television tonight (November 22).
Ben Ashe, a 30-year-old police officer, was less than half a mile into his journey when he was involved in a horrific collision on a winding country lane.
He had just set off with a friend after work when he crashed with a car on the 60mph route.
The force of the impact catapulted him 15 metres from his bike and he hit his head on the dry-stone wall of a residential garden.
A Dutch couple who were on holiday at the property heard the accident and, along with Ben’s friend and fellow biker, called 999 for help.
Initially unconscious on impact, when Ben regained consciousness he said he felt dizzy and was sick in his helmet, alarming 999 call-takers who feared he could have a serious head injury.
Yorkshire Air Ambulance’s critical care paramedics, Sam and Becky, flew 28 miles from their RAF Topcliffe air base near Thirsk to help.
Ben's bike
They arrived prepared for the range of serious injuries often experienced by motorcyclists, who are 50 times more likely to be killed in accidents than car-drivers.
Upon arrival, a land ambulance crew already at the scene were conducting a primary assessment of Ben, who was now conscious, but disoriented, struggling to breathe, and experiencing severe pain in his shoulder, hip, and neck.
Fortunately his riding gear, including a helmet, leathers, gloves, and back protector had helped to reduce the severity of his injuries.
Sam said:
For someone with life-threatening symptoms like this, a head injury of this nature is at the top of our priority list.
We attend a huge number of motorcycle accidents, and there’s a vast difference between people who wear protective clothing and those who don’t. In this case, it definitely reduced the injuries Ben would have had.
Ben and the paramedics
Ben was moved into the land ambulance where he was given morphine for pain-relief and tranexamic acid to help stem potential internal bleeding caused by the impact of the collision.
Paramedics were relieved to see his Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) rating improve, indicating he had become more alert and responsive compared with his initial assessment.
The air ambulance team coordinated with the land ambulance crew to transfer Ben to the nearest major trauma centre at Leeds General Infirmary (LGI), by road for further care.
At the hospital, scans revealed Ben suffered a broken shoulder, a dislocation of his first right rib, damage to his right acromioclavicular (AC) joint, and a partially collapsed lung, alongside significant bruising.
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He spent three nights in hospital before returning home on crutches and is now recovering with regular physiotherapy sessions.
Ben said:
I’m incredibly thankful to everyone who helped me that day, from the Yorkshire Air Ambulance team to the ambulance crews, and the doctors and nurses at LGI. The speed and professionalism with which they all responded truly made a difference and gave me the best chance at recovery.
I can’t stress enough how important protective gear is. If I hadn’t been wearing mine, the injuries could have been much worse, or even fatal. It saved my life, and I’d urge every motorcyclist to wear the proper gear.
Ben and the paramedics
Ben's story will feature in tonight's episode of Yorkshire Air 999, which airs on Quest at 9pm.
The episode will also follow the Yorkshire Air Ambulance team as it responds to other emergencies, including a schoolboy who suffers a dislocated knee during a cricket match, an elderly diabetic gentleman who is lost while walking along Yorkshire's coast, prompting a major rescue mission, and a two-year-old who had fallen 12 feet from a window.
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