New BBC programme to feature former East Anglian Air Ambulance patient

Lifesaving charity East Anglian Air Ambulance will feature in a new BBC One series launching week commencing 30 March. Farm 999 is a 15-part documentary series presented by Steph McGovern. The programme shines a light on the hidden dangers and emergency incidents faced by rural communities across the UK, including the remarkable story of Cambridgeshire farmer Jonathan Willis.

After being impaled by a forklift tine on his farm near Wisbech, Jonathan received lifesaving treatment from East Anglian Air Ambulance – a dramatic rescue featured in the first episode of the series. The tine went through Jonathan’s lower back and exited through his abdomen, posing severe risk to several major internal organs and blood vessels, making this a time-critical and life-threatening situation. A crew from East Anglian Air Ambulance’s Cambridge base were tasked by helicopter to bring lifesaving critical care directly to Jonathan at the scene.

The crew, including Critical Care Paramedic Andy Bates who also features in the episode, worked with the ambulance, police and fire and rescue teams for around 45 minutes to assess Jonathan’s injuries and coordinate the complex extrication process and get Jonathan safely to hospital for lifesaving surgery.

Wendy Willis, Jonathan’s wife, said: “We know that without the enhanced skills of the air ambulance team that day Jonathan wouldn’t have made it to hospital. They took control of the situation – which was like living my worst nightmare – and made all the right decisions which got him to the right hospital and to the right surgeon with a fighting chance. We were then so incredibly lucky that Jonathan had one of the best surgeons in the country leading his operation. The Addenbrooke’s team quite literally worked miracles in the operating theatre that night and ensured that Jonathan came home to me and our five children in one piece.”

East Anglian Air Ambulance is fuelled entirely by donations, without any regular government funding, so public support powers every single mission. The Willis family have gone on to raise over £110,000 in aid of the charity.

Farm 999 is produced by Stellify Media. Jonathan and East Anglian Air Ambulance feature in episode one which will air week commencing 30th April. The series is also available to view on BBC iPlayer.