A MARRIED couple have thanked their local air ambulance after the husband was rescued by the service for the second time.
Jonathan and Marie Thwaites, from Greenholme, Penrith, have praised the Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS).
Mr Thwaites, a 37-year-old farmer, fell 20 feet when the barn roof he was fixing collapsed on October 8.
His father ran to the farmhouse around 300 yards away to call for help and his family rushed to his aid while emergency services made their way to the scene.
Mr Thwaites, who has three girls, said: “I was in a lot of pain and my foot felt dead.”
He had suffered broken bones in his foot and wrist and the GNAAS’ Pride of Cumbria trauma team administered pain relief at the scene before flying him to Royal Preston Hospital. The flight took 20 minutes.
Mrs Thwaites said: “The crew were with us so quickly from their base at Langwathby and they were then joined by a road crew who helped to transport Jonathan to the helicopter which landed in our field.
“Without GNAAS help and care he would have had a very long and painful journey ahead. So from the bottom of our hearts – thank you.”
Rachel Hawes, a doctor at GNAAS, said: “After falling from such a height, we would have expected the extent of his injuries to be worse, so Jonathan was very lucky.”
The rescue was the second time GNAAS has flown to help Mr Thwaites. Seven years ago, he came off his motorbike while gathering sheep at Bretherdale, Penrith, sustaining a pelvis fracture and broken collar bone and wrist.
He said: “The air ambulance are absolutely brilliant and one of the best things to happen for Cumbria.”
UPDATE: Mr Thwaites and crew member Terry Sharpe, who was the paramedic at the scene of both of his accidents have now met for a third time. Check out the video here.
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