Child, 12, who punctured artery in leg after coming off her bike thanks lifesavers at North West Air Ambulance

A summer's bike ride nearly ended in tragedy for 12-year-old Hannah from New Longton, now her friends and family are determined to give back for the service that saved her life.

What happened?

In May, after her tea, Hannah and her step-sister Kate, 13, decided to get on their bikes and get some strawberries from Longton.

Hannah's mum Janet Bellamy said: "It was a really nice evening and they wanted to go to the Spar or Booths. They both had helmets on and they're both great cyclists.

"When they got to Chapel Lane, near the Ram's Head, we don't know what happened, but Hannah came off."

Hannah had punctured her thigh, and Kate described blood coming out of her leg "like a chocolate fountain".

Kate screamed until customers at the Ram's Head and staff from the nearby Chapel Lane Garage came to help the girls. With quick-thinking they made a tourniquet out of rope, placing it around her thigh whilst they waited for paramedics.

Janet said: "It was very strange because two people who never usually go to the pub on a Wednesday night were there and heard the screams, and so did Rob, a mechanic at the garage who doesn't usually work lates."

After a panicked phone call, Janet and her husband set off to the scene, describing Hannah as lying in a pool of blood when they got there.

Janet said: "We can only describe her as green in colour, she was telling my husband and I she loved us but was tired and needed to sleep.”

She added: "We were told that paramedics would be half an hour, but then a doctor passed by and called them back, saying she didn't have half an hour to wait."

Shortly after, the North West Air Ambulance Charity helicopter touched down in a nearby field, and lifted Hannah to Manchester Paediatric Hospital in just nine minutes.

Janet said: “They were absolutely exceptional on that helicopter. They even took photos out of the window to keep Hannah occupied.”

After three hours in surgery, it was discovered that Hannah had punctured the main vein in her leg, the femoral vein. The hole was 7cm deep, 3cm wide and had missed her main artery by a hairline.

Hannah spent a week in hospital and is still recouperating. Although in the fullness of time she will make a full recovery, she is still unable to ride her bike or enjoy horseriding.

Fundraising

Janet said she and he family had never considered how the North West Air Ambulance Charity is funded, and was surprised to learn it gets no Government or NHS funding towards its £12m annual costs.

In order to give something back, raise awareness and "end on a happy note", a group of nine are preparing to complete a sponsored 12-hour walk of the Yorkshire Three Peaks in October for the charity.

Janet said: "This is a service that saves lives, so we really, really want to raise as much as we can."

The family also wish to thank everyone who helped on the evening.

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