A man who was airlifted to hospital after falling from a tree is to have his rescue featured on TV.
Jud Bruce, 47, of Mirfield, was climbing up to prune a tree in his garden when he stepped on a dead branch and fell almost 20ft.
Farm worker Jud landed on his back across a small wall, cracking a concrete slab in half.
Jud was left in agony and feared he had suffered a severe back injury. Fortunately, he only broke a single vertebra in his spine.
Jud Bruce talks about his broken back
Jud was flown to Leeds General Infirmary by Yorkshire Air Ambulance, which happened to have a film crew on board.
Now the drama is to be featured on Helicopter ER on the Really channel on Monday, October 17 at 10pm.
Jud’s accident happened on Mother’s Day last March and looking back, he said: “I was really lucky but I am very grateful to the air ambulance for getting me to hospital so quickly. It was only three-and-a-half minutes to the LGI.”
Jud was off work for 10 weeks and while he was immobilised he turned to his hobby of woodworking.
Saw stuck in tree where Jud Bruce fell
To keep himself occupied he even made a rustic-style bird table – from the branch that caused his fall.
He then auctioned it through nephew Chris Bruce’s shop Lower Hopton News in Mirfield, raising £75 for the air ambulance.
The TV company came to film Jud while he was making the bird table.
It was one of the more unusual fundraising ideas and Jud said: “I think they were a bit taken aback by it but I just love making things out of wood.”
Jud has now made a full recovery and added: “From now on I will trim my trees every year and not let them get out of hand.”
