A TEENAGER was lifted to safety by an RAF search and rescue winchman after he broke his arm in a fall near a North-East viaduct.

Emergency services called in a team from RAF Boulmer, Northumberland , on Saturday when the youth became trapped in woods on the outskirts of Bishop Auckland .

The drama started at 5.40pm when Bishop Auckland police and North-East Ambulance Service crews were called to the Newton Cap Bank viaduct.

The teenager, who has not been named, fell from a tree while playing in a wooded area underneath the viaduct.

The steepness of the slope made access to the youth difficult and led to paramedics calling in the RAF team.

Law student Andrew Horner, 20, of High Bondgate, Bishop Auckland, who was home on holiday from the University of East Anglia, watched the drama unfold.

He said: “I was going outside to read my house a magazine and saw someone stood staring towards the viaduct.

“I turned to look and the helicopter was really low and looked massive. I saw the winchman go down with the stretcher.

“The whole thing seemed to be over quite quickly. The helicopter then flew around for about ten minutes, presumably while the victim was treated, and then headed off.

“There was lot of people standing around watching, but I don’t think anyone really knew what was happening.

It was certainly unusual.”

Police said a paramedic car and ambulance were initially sent to the viaduct on the B6284 to deal with a report of an youth with non-life threatening injuries.

The spokesman said: “The ambulance service asked for assistance from RAF Boulmer to rescue a teenager with a broken arm.

“The youth was taken by the RAF team directly to the Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle, for treatment.”

􀁧 Do you know who the injured teenager is? Contact The Northern Echo on 01388- 602232.