Rod Martin, 59

On 28th October 2005 Rod Martin was working in his own business in Market Harborough as a motor engineer. It was a normal day, welding, when his life changed forever. There was a sudden fire and explosion. Rod was seriously burned and metal smashed through his leg shattering bones and nearly severing his leg clean off.

Rod said: "I was initially treated taken by a land ambulance crew. The burns were extensive and they put a tube down my throat so I could breath and rushed me to Kettering Hospital. There it was clear that things were very bad. I had 51% burns and was in a very bad way. I needed specialist care quickly.

"WNAA flew me to Selly Oak Hospital in Birmingham - famous for being a specialist trauma centre and also having one of the best burns units in the country.  By road it would have taken at least an hour and a half but in the helicopter it took just 12 minutes. I know there wasn't much hope for me but the air ambulance gave me that chance. I don't remember very much about that time at all but they say that your hearing is the last thing to go and I do remember hearing the rotar blades on that journey."

Recovery at Selly Oak was slow. Initially amputation looked likely but thanks to a specialist army surgeon used to dealing with bomb blast injuries his leg was saved after numerous procedures and operations.

"When I was eventually back on the ward recovering at Selly Oak I could see the air ambulance flying in and out. I didn't realise how often it went out and how many people like me it helped. It made me think that when I could, I would do my bit to help raise awareness and some funds."

That started in his village of Ashley near Corby the first Christmas of Rod's recovery when locals raised nearly £2,000 and has continued for the following six years. Rod organised collections locally and also worked as a volunteer raising awareness through doing talks about his experience and acting as a community ambassador for the charity.
Rod is back to work part time in the motor trade having retrained as an MOT tester but is still on duty for WNAA - collecting cheques from local fundraisers .

He said: "I don't do so much now but there was a time when I was recovering when getting involved with the charity helped me emotionally too as it gave me a focus when physically I couldn't do very much. So I guess that helicopter ride helped me in all sort of ways and really did save and change my life."

Photo courtesy of Northants News.