Keith Clancy, 42, was airlifted to Hull Royal Infirmary shortly after 7.30pm on Saturday after he slipped and fell over on the surface of a wet disabled ramp to a Wansford Road property.

Mr Clancy had been visiting his children and ex-wife, Jane Clancy, who live at the house, when he took a tumble over the ramp after a heavy rainstorm made it slippery.

Mrs Clancy said: "The weather was really bad that night, we had really heavy rain and the ramp was wet. He tripped over the ramp and was knocked out for a couple of minutes which is why I called the ambulance and then they called the helicopter out.

"I couldn't believe the level of response, but it was a good service and very reassuring that they would do something like that."

A crew led by Flight Lieutenant Graham Stewart, of E Flight, 202 Squadron based at RAF Leconfield, responded to the call from the ambulance service.

Flt Lt Stewart said: "He was in a lot of pain, but he was conscious and although we had him up in the air and on his way to Hull Royal Infirmary very quickly we carried out a basic assessment of his condition. He was bruised, but we were not sure if there were any breakages."

According to Flt Lt Stewart, the search and rescue crew responded to the incident because an air ambulance was unavailable at the time.

Mr Stewart said: "The ambulance service called us out because if they suspect there is a risk of neck or back injury they tend not to take the casualty by road because of all the crossings and bumps. I don't think the air ambulance was available at the time."

It took the Sea King helicopter five minutes to reach Nafferton from Leconfield and 10 minutes later Mr Clancy was on his way to hospital. "I was going to go with him in the helicopter but I was getting a panic attack and the crew thought it might not be a good idea for me to go with him if I felt funny," Mrs Clancy added.

Mr Clancy, of Bridlington, was treated at Hull Royal Infirmary overnight and is now back at work.
sara.beach@yrnltd.co.uk