TWO Wiltshire Air Ambulance paramedics have received awards for their actions in saving the life of a teenager.

Richard Miller and Ross Culligan received the Chief Officer’s Commendation for actions above and beyond the call of duty in treating 18-year-old Dylan Jones.

Mr Jones, of Gloucestershire, suffered catastrophic injuries when his motorcycle was struck by a car on a country road in Lechlade on the evening of August 6 last year.

The first ambulance crew on the scene found Mr Jones to be suffering from a severed trachea and oesophagus and lacerated jugular vein plus multiple fractures.

The crew began life saving treatment and, despite his injuries, Mr Jones was conscious.

The Wiltshire Air Ambulance with Mr Miller and Mr Culligan onboard flew to the scene in 15 minutes and they together with others, including Swift medic Dr Ed Valentine, of Corsham, spent 40 minutes treating Mr Jones.

He was flown to the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, where he underwent a nine hour operation and spent three months in hospital.

The citation on the awards said: “The helicopter is one of only two air ambulances in the country able to fly at night. The high quality treatment he (Mr Jones) received at scene, combined with the rapid transfer by air to the trauma unit helped ensure that the patient not only survived but has since made an incredible recovery.”

Air ambulance pilot  Andrew Figg, Dr Valentine, Aaron Lockitt and Joel Brace, who were the first ambulance crew on the scene, also received Chief Officer’s Commendations.

Mr Miller, of Devizes, has been an air ambulance paramedic for nine years and is clinical team leader while Mr Culligan, of Trowbridge, has been an air ambulance paramedic for two years.

Mr Miller said: “It was very nice to be nominated for the award. It sounds cheesy but we were just doing our job that night. Dylan’s injuries were among the worst I have seen.”

Mr Miller said of the incidents the Wiltshire Air Ambulance attended about three per cent were outside Wiltshire.

Mr Jones and his family have visited the Wiltshire Air Ambulance base in Devizes to thank the crew and see the helicopter and they are raising money for the charity by taking part in the Oxford Half Marathon.