Three-year-old George was walking with his mum, Laura and sister in Market Rasen, Lincolnshire, when he suddenly tripped and fell into the path of an oncoming car.

The Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance were called and after landing at a cricket ground on the outskirts of the town, the crew were soon by George’s side. The toddler was regaining consciousness and becoming distressed, so Dr Alan gave him pain relief and oxygen.

 After stabilising George, Alan decided he needed to be taken to Nottingham Queen’s Medical Centre (QMC) for further assessments. 

Dad, Joseph, had been told what had happened and was driving into Market Rasen when he saw the LNAA helicopter fly overhead looking for a space to land. He was panic-stricken but said he felt oddly reassured as he knew George would get the best emergency treatment available outside of a hospital setting.

At the scene, Joseph arrived and watched as George was being prepared for the journey to hospital. A few minutes later Joseph carried his son’s fragile body to the helicopter.

Laura accompanied George on the flight to Nottingham and was overwhelmed by the compassion shown by the team.

She said: “The drugs were making George drowsy and Erica, the paramedic, was monitoring him constantly.  She was so kind and kept reassuring me that his observations were good, and his injuries were not life-threatening.”

It took just 15 minutes to get QMC, a journey that would normally take 90 minutes by road, and George was swiftly transferred into the care of a waiting paediatric team.

Luckily George’s injuries were not too serious, and he was soon home.

But the family struggled to get over the accident. George’s sister Evelyn became anxious when crossing the road in case George was hit. She wouldn’t settle at night without her mum, for fear Laura may go away again with George and not come home. George refused to walk and would only go out if carried or pushed in a buggy.

The family only started to overcome their anxieties when they were invited by LNAA’s Aftercare Team to visit headquarters to meet Erica and other crew members.

Laura said: “The visit was so what we needed. We got to thank the crew properly for their care and the children got to see the helicopter and talk to the pilots. Erica was able to chat with us more about the treatment George received.”

Eight months after the accident George is back to normal. Evelyn still gets anxious but no longer worries that her brother could be hit by a car when they are out walking. 

Laura is exploring become a volunteer for LNAA. “I want everyone to know about Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance. I want to help raise as much awareness as possible” she said.