A MAN who was seriously injured in a road accident where his wife died has thanked the medics who saved his life.

Daniel Gilchrist (66) and his wife Isabel Gilchrist (63) were visiting the Kielder area on their motorbike from their home in Uddingston in June 2018 when they were involved in an accident with a lorry.

Mrs Gilchrist died on the roadside, while her husband of 37 years suffered serious injuries.

The Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS) was called to the incident and worked alongside the North East Ambulance Service to assess and treat Mr Gilchrist.

Mr Gilchrist added: “If the guys hadn’t got me there as quick, I’d have been dead.

"I was operated on for a couple of days by a team of doctors and they didn’t think I was going make it. Without GNAAS I wouldn’t be here.”

Mr Gilchrist was in hospital at Newcastle for nine days before being transferred to Glasgow.

After a hip operation which healed quickly, he was let out within nine days to organise a funeral for his wife.

Following the incident, Mr Gilchrist visited the GNAAS base at Langwathby and met staff including GNAAS paramedic Terry Sharpe, who was on scene that day.

He also donated £1,000 to the charity.

Mr Sharpe said: “It was great to see Dan looking so well, as my lasting impression of him was when I left him in hospital.”

GNAAS is continuing to fly through the Covid-19 crisis but has asked the public to continue its support in the face of the collapse of its community fund-raising activities. Please visit www.gnaas.com or call (01325) 487263.