Motorcyclist thanks medics who flew to her aid

A woman whose motorcycle collided with a wagon has thanked the air ambulance medics who flew to her aid.

Denise Payne, from Howden-le-Wear, was travelling on the A688 near Barnard Castle when her motorbike slid on some oil and she careered into an oncoming HGV wagon on May 12.

The 41-year-old, who has been a biker for 17 years, sustained serious injuries to her leg and was treated at the scene by the Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS) before being flown to James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough for further treatment.

Mrs Payne underwent an operation to fix her dislocated ankle and spent two weeks in hospital before she returned a week later after gaining an infection in her knee. Now, six weeks after the accident she is slowly recovering.

Mrs Payne who works as a design engineer at Haskel in Sunderland, said: “As soon as I was told the air ambulance were coming I knew I’d get to hospital so much more quickly and I was in horrendous pain.

“We would be lost without GNAAS. I never thought I would need the service but I am so glad they were there. They are such an asset to the region and I want to thank them from the bottom of my heart.”

The Great North Air Ambulance Service is a life-saving charity that operates across the North East, North Yorkshire and Cumbria and needs £4m every year to keep the service going.