Alfie’s Story

In 2023, Cornwall Air Ambulance was tasked to 534 trauma-related incidents. One of those was to help 10-year-old Alfie Handford, who had been playing in the garden when he slipped and impaled his leg on a metal pole.

Alfie had just come back from a school trip to the beach, and was playing in the garden where building work had been carried out earlier in the day. As he was jumping, he fell and landed on one the foundation rods in the ground.

His brother heard him scream and came rushing out to help with dad, whilst his eldest brother called 999. Due to the severity of his injury, Cornwall Air Ambulance was tasked along with other emergency services.

The crew and helicopter on scene at Alfie’s incident

Critical Care Paramedics Thomas Hennessy Jones and Paul Maskell arrived on scene along with Pilot Liv Milles, on board your AW169 helicopter. The crew needed to cut the pole down, without impacting Alfie’s injury any further, to be able to move him into the aircraft. They administered ketamine, an advanced pain relief, and stabilised his leg so he could be safely moved. There were concerns that Alfie may have needed to go to Bristol Children’s Hospital, but as a surgeon was available at Treliske, he was airlifted to the Royal Cornwall Hospital instead.

Luckily, the pole had not damaged the bone or any arteries or muscle in Alfie’s leg. He underwent two lots of surgery and remained in hospital for four days.

Alfie said: “When I woke up, I was in the helicopter looking out at everyone and I waved. Everything was vibrating, it felt like a massage, and it was loud. I liked it that in hospital the surgeons put a bandage on my teddy.”

Alfie meets Critical Care Paramedic Thomas at Cornwall Air Ambulance HQ

Alfie’s mum, Jo, said: “They made Alfie feel so much more at ease, even in a traumatic situation they were making sure he was coping okay. They were amazing.”

Alfie has recovered well and now, a year later, has been back to visit the airbase where he got to meet Critical Care Paramedic Thomas again.

Jo added: “For us as parents it was that reassurance that whatever medical help he needed, he could get straight away. Because of the nature of the injury, going by road might have made it worse, and knowing that if he needed to go to Bristol he would be there really quickly. I think it’s something that Cornwall definitely needs, for the locals and for the Isles of Scilly and all through the winter, but during the summer when there is so much pressure on all of our services, I think that a second helicopter will really help.”

Mum Jo, Alfie, and Critical Care Paramedic Thomas

Following the incident, Jo, who works at Treviglas School in Newquay, carried out a fundraiser with the sixth form where they raised over £800 for Cornwall Air Ambulance.

Alfie is now planning to donate some toys, books and games to help raise money too.

Speaking about Cornwall Air Ambulance, Alfie added: “I really like it and I’m glad it’s here. It was quick getting to the hospital and that helped a lot. Seeing the helicopter was amazing, I didn’t think I’d see it again unless it was flying in the air.”