Preston dad suffers 60% blood loss in chainsaw accident

Mr Gardener received a blood transfusion by air ambulance crew at the scene which saved his life

A father-of-three who suffered 60% blood loss in a chainsaw accident said he was "lucky" to be alive.

Robert Gardner, 39, was cutting wooden logs in his garden when the power tool he was using bounced back and hit him in the chest.

It caught in his T-shirt causing catastrophic injuries.

Mr Gardener lost about three litres (five pints) of blood and was saved when an air ambulance arrived and gave him a blood transfusion at the scene.

"I feel like a very lucky man," he said.

The plumber from Farington Moss, Preston, was clearing logs in his garden ahead of a family party when the chainsaw accident happened.

"It hit me in the chest and I had to fight to get it off me," he said, explaining how he called for his wife Karen, who tried to stop the bleeding by pressing a dustsheet on to the wound, while also calling 999.

"There was just blood, flowing out everywhere," Mr Gardener said. "I was quite conscious and calm, the adrenaline was kicking-in, but at the same time, we both knew it was serious.

"We told each other we loved each other," he added.

When the air ambulance arrived, Mr Gardener received a blood transfusion, which doctors said gave him the extra time needed to get to hospital.

Mr Gardener has thanked the North West Air Ambulance crew for the care he received

Dr Eimhear Quinn, who treated him at the scene, said without the pre-hospital blood transfusions he would have likely died on the way to hospital.

"I estimate Rob lost three plus litres of blood.

"An adult male has about five litres of blood, so Rob had lost approximately 60% of his circulating volume before we arrived," Dr Quinn said.

"Without a blood transfusion he wouldn't have survived the ambulance journey."

After arriving at the emergency department, he received a further three units, bringing the total units of blood received by Mr Gardener during the early stages of treatment to eleven.

Mr Gardener and his family have since paid tribute to the North West Air Ambulance Charity crew for the care he received and to the charity for carrying blood on board their vehicles.

"The intervention and treatment from the North West Air Ambulance Charity was the pinnacle point for me," he said. "I've been very lucky - I feel like a very lucky man."