Dad's miracle escape after falling 200ft into ravine and smashing his skull

A dad had a lucky escape after plunging 200ft down a ravine after posing for a photo at a beauty spot.

Imran Choudhury, 36, was rescued by paramedics and members of the public after he was left severely injured in the fall.

He survived, but spent nearly a month in an induced coma after breaking his shoulder, shoulder blade, spinal bone, a small bone in his leg left and badly damaging his right leg in six places. He had also broken two skull bones, one of which penetrated his brain and caused serious internal bleeding.

Choudhury, from Oldham, was training for a walk to raise funds for the NHS near Dovestones Reservoir in the Peak District when the accident happened in February this year.

He had stopped at The Trinnacle landmark on Saddleworth Moor and asked two passers-by to take his photograph.

But when he started climbing back down, he blacked out and fell 200ft, getting stuck on a 50-degree slope in the ravine.

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"It was a very steep climb and I was walking against the wind that day," he said. "I took lots of photos and videos and went to the Trinnacle where two people took my photo.

"I did a live video for social media and actually said at the end of it, if someone fell from here that would be the end for them. I started to climb down and that’s the last thing I remember."

Luckily, Choudhury was spotted by two fellow walkers who saw him plummet down the hill and called emergency services, as well as enlisting the help of another couple, with one person scrambling down to the injured dad and staying with him.

An air ambulance was dispatched from Yorkshire Air Ambulance but strong winds made the rescue mission one of the team's most challenging ever.

Paramedic James Allen recalled: "It was blowing a gale and the ground was crumbling away in places. If any of us had lost our footing, it would have been game over."

The treacherous winds meant eventually a Search and Rescue helicopter was sent to the scene and Choudhury was winched to safety then flown to Sheffield Northern General Hospital by the waiting Yorkshire Air Ambulance helicopter.

He spent three weeks in an induced coma as he recovered from his serious injuries.

"When I woke up from the coma I didn’t know where I was or what had happened," he said. "I thought that I was in Bangladesh. It took some time to realise the extent of my injuries."

He is still undergoing treatment for his injuries and has praised the people who came to his rescue that day.

"Without the members of the public, the emergency services wouldn’t have come to my rescue as they called them and without the emergency services, I wouldn’t be here today.

"They are my angels who saved me. I’m so grateful for their help. It was a very challenging rescue and it’s amazing what they did to save me."

Yorkshire Air Ambulance Doctor Andy Pountney said: "I’m really proud to have been part of the team at the beginning of Imran’s journey, to be part of that team who gave him the initial treatment and helped get him off the hillside. I feel privileged to be in a position to help someone like that."

Imran Choudhury's story will feature on Critical Hour on Channel Really at 10pm on 31 August.

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