'I volunteer with the charity that saved my life'

Harry Richardson was saved by SARS following a car crash in 2013

A volunteer with a medical emergency charity says he, too, would not be alive without it.

Harry Richardson, who is chair of the trustees of Suffolk Accident Rescue Services (SARS), credits the charity's responders with saving his life in a road traffic collision in 2013.

The service, established in 1972 and based in Woolpit near Bury St Edmunds, has now recorded its 20,000th emergency callout.

"As a direct result of that care I am in position where I am still living, breathing and otherwise enjoying life. If SARS didn't exist, then I wouldn't either," Mr Richardson said.

SARS is run by volunteers, with the team made up of anaesthetists, critical care paramedics and other clinicians with enhanced pre-hospital skills.

It attends about 30% of the incidents it is called out to across the whole of Suffolk.

Volunteers attended 520 callouts in 2023, and 630 callouts last year.

SARS has reached its 20,000th callout since it launched in 1972

Recalling the collision on BBC Radio Suffolk, Mr Richardson said: "I suffered from quite extensive injuries, numerous fractures, a ruptured spleen... and both of my lungs were punctured and partially collapsed.

"SARS responded within minutes. A SARS highly skilled responder was first on the scene, which is not abnormal."

Mr Richardson joined the charity as a trustee nine years ago, which he said was his way of "giving back".

"I'm not a clinician in my professional life, but I immediately recognised the enormous value that the charity does," he added.

"I wanted to particularly provide my perspective as a patient because I think ultimately what we're all here for is to provide the best possible care that we can for people when they need it."