AIR ambulance crew flagged down a bin wagon to rush them to a critically injured patient when they were not able to land close enough to the scene of an accident.

The Great North Air Ambulance was called to Whitley Road, in Whitley Bay, where a pedestrian had been hit by a car at 9.45am today (Friday, December 12).

He had sustained serious head and leg injuries.

The helicopter was forced to land some distance away at the town's war memorial, with paramedics prepared to run to the casualty, but they were helped out by local bin men who offered them a lift.

The 87-year-old pedestrian was treated by the air ambulance crew before being taken to hospital.

A GNAAS spokesman said: “Due to the built-up nature of the patient’s location, our helicopter was unable to land nearby.

“Instead, it flew to the town’s war memorial where there was space to land safely. The doctor and paramedic planned to make their way on foot.

"However, they were able to flag down a passing bin wagon, which took them straight to the patient."

Jane Peacock, GNAAS paramedic, said: “We just thought a bin man would know the roads. We jumped in the front and they took us straight there.

"They were brilliant, we can’t thank them enough.”

After treating the patient on scene, the crew then accompanied the man to the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle in a North East Ambulance Service road vehicle.

The man’s condition was described as critical on arrival.

Norma Redfearn, elected Mayor of North Tyneside said: “I’m immensely proud of the crew who acted quickly and calmly to help the Great North Air Ambulance Service in this emergency situation.

"Our front line staff are focused on the communities that they serve and thankfully our bin crew were in the right place at the right time to rush the medical crew to the scene. Our thoughts are with the gentleman who was injured.”