TWO paramedics with Wiltshire Air Ambulance have been awarded 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 serious 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 had a severed trachea and oesophagus and lacerated jugular vein, plus multiple fractures. They 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 him.

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 received at the scene, combined with the rapid transfer by air to the trauma unit, helped ensure he not only survived but has since made an incredible recovery.”

The pilot of the air ambulance, Andrew Figg, and 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 Jones and his family visited the air ambulance base in Devizes to thank the crew and are raising money for the charity by taking part in the Oxford Half Marathon.