A WOMAN has thanked a Great North Air Ambulance crew for saving her life after she suffered a severe asthma attack at home.

Christine Kingsland, of Brough St Giles, Catterick Garrison, said when she developed serious breathing problems after celebrating Mother’s Day with a family meal, her husband, John, called an ambulance.

She said her parents, Bob and Barbara McGill, of Catterick Garrison, and children, Jordan, 13, and Abbie, nine, anxiously watched on as her condition rapidly deteriorated.

When a paramedic arrived minutes later and she didn’t respond to oxygen and nebulisers, the air ambulance was alerted so she could be given immediate treatment.

Mrs Kingsland, 39, who is on long-term sick leave from her job as a cook at St Mary’s RC Primary School, in Richmond, has been to Durham Tees Valley Airport where the air ambulance is based, to say thankyou to the team that saved her life.

She said the air ambulance landed in the village within seven minutes and paramedic Stuart Thompson and Dr Dion Arbid gave her a range of drugs as concerned neighbours watched.

Mr Thompson said Mrs Kingsland’s asthma attack was the worst he had seen in 12 years as a paramedic.

He said as she was slipping in and out of consciousness beside the helicopter a decision was taken to put her to sleep so they could control her breathing mechanically.

He said: “It was fairly complicated and we were on the scene for quite a while to stabilise her. Most of our work isn’t with medical patients, but on this occasion we took the hospital to the patient.”

Mrs Kingsland, who has suffered from asthma since she was eight, was then flown to The James Cook University Hospital, in Middlesbrough, where she spent four days in the intensive care unit.

She said: “I wouldn’t be here today or made the recovery I have if the air ambulance crew had not responded so quickly. I would not have survived the 40 minutes it would have taken to get me to hospital by road.

“I can’t remember leaving the house and when I woke up in hospital I wondered where I was, so it is great to have met and be able to put a face to the pilot JJ Smith and the crew. I can’t thank them enough.”

Her husband, John, said: “It is a shame that we have to rely on voluntary contributions for this service. What price do you put on a life?”