good news...
Hammond stable after 300mph crash
Press Association
Thursday September 21, 2006 4:23 AM
Top Gear presenter Richard Hammond is in a stable condition in
hospital after being involved in a high-speed car crash while
filming an apparent attempt to break the British land speed
record.
Former firefighter Dave Ogden, who runs private firm Event Fire
Services, was one of the first people at the scene of the
crash.
He said: "We were down there with Top Gear who were filming him
trying to break the British land speed record.
"On the previous run, the car had just gone over 300mph but I am
not sure if it had broken the record.
"They had just done one more run and were planning to finish when
it veered off to the right.
"One of the parachutes had deployed but it went on to the grass and
spun over and over before coming to a rest about 100 yards from
us."
He said his crew and an ambulance that was already on the airfield
rushed over and found the car upside down and "dug in" to the
grass.
Mr Ogden said he felt for a pulse and heard Mr Hammond breathing
before the emergency crews worked together to turn the car the
right way up and then cut him free.
He added: "He was regaining consciousness at that point and said he
had some lower back pain. But he was drifting in and out of
consciousness a little bit."
