Air ambulance asked to move for health and safety reasons

An air ambulance crew who landed on a building site to treat a heart attack patient were ordered to move their helicopter – because it broke health and safety rules.

The air ambulance, carrying an emergency doctor, landed inside a new Persimmon Homes housing development opposite the property where a man had collapsed.

But as the patient was being resuscitated, a saleswoman marched up to the helicopter crew and told them they could not ‘park’ the chopper on site.

The woman also tried to stop the crew lifting up a fence as they dashed to help the patient forcing outraged passersby to intervene.

The air ambulance, carrying an emergency doctor, landed inside a new Persimmon Homes housing development opposite the property where a man had collapsed (stock photo)

Footage shows a helicopter from charity-run Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance landing at Mallory Grange in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire.

It touched down inside a cordoned off area which was still under construction opposite a row of new build two and five bedroom properties at 1.30pm.

The helicopter was called to assist with the emergency after Midlands Air Ambulance had responded to the initial 999 call.

Onlooker Michael Bunting, 32, who witnessed the incident, said: ‘My wife does a bit of work for the Air Ambulance charity and we just wanted to get a photo of it landing.

‘We were waiting to get a video of it taking off but then that’s when the second one came along and had to land.

The helicopter was called to assist with the emergency after Midlands Air Ambulance had responded to the initial 999 call

The helicopter was called to assist with the emergency after Midlands Air Ambulance had responded to the initial 999 call

Onlooker Michael Bunting, 32, who witnessed the incident, said: 'My wife does a bit of work for the Air Ambulance charity and we just wanted to get a photo of it landing'

Onlooker Michael Bunting, 32, who witnessed the incident, said: 'My wife does a bit of work for the Air Ambulance charity and we just wanted to get a photo of it landing'

Onlooker Michael Bunting, 32, who witnessed the incident, said: ‘My wife does a bit of work for the Air Ambulance charity and we just wanted to get a photo of it landing’

‘These guys are professional pilots. They take everything into account when landing. It’s second nature to them.

‘For a saleswoman to obstruct the crew getting to the emergency is appalling.

‘And when the crew couldn’t get through the fencing she told the crew not to pull it out.

‘It took myself and a few other bystanders to lift the fence to get the crew through.

‘At this point she is still giving the crew hassle about where they have landed.

‘The saleswoman was telling them, ‘you can’t come through here’, so we lifted the fence and she was constantly on them, ‘you can’t park there, who do you think you are?’

‘I said, ‘if that was a loved one of yours, you’d want every second to count.’

‘I just found it so appalling that a saleswoman was so rude and I understand the safety measures but these guys are trained, it’s their job.

‘The pilot circled the area twice before he landed, he knows what he is doing.

‘Every second counts and Persimmon Homes should have assisted wherever they could instead of obstructing.’ 

Footage shows a helicopter from charity-run Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance landing at Mallory Grange in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire

Footage shows a helicopter from charity-run Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance landing at Mallory Grange in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire

Persimmon Homes have defended the saleswoman, saying she was raising ‘concerns for public safety’.

Central region director Neil Williams said: ‘Health and safety is of paramount importance on all of our sites and we take it very seriously.

‘At no point would any of our staff obstruct the emergency services, however, it is critical that our staff raise any concerns for public safety.

‘The air ambulance landed on a working construction site that was closed to the public and while we understand that was necessary to access the patient our staff observed that the landing area, which was a locked off area, contained hazardous materials that needed to be re-secured in order to prevent public access or any danger to existing residents.’

The patient was taken via land ambulance on blue lights to University Hospital Coventry where he remains in a stable condition.



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