Seven year-old suffered 'horrendous' facial injuries in farm accident

Seven year-old Alannah Maher was sitting inside a tractor while her grandad towed parts of a chopped up tree.

However, the chain pulling the wood snapped and whiplashed into the cabin, hitting her in the face.

Paul Maher, Alannah's father, said: "There were lacerations to her face, damage in and around her eye and she had a bleed in the front of her head."

Within minutes of the 999 call, a paramedic and doctor team from the Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS), as well as the North West Ambulance Service, were on their way to the scene.

After receiving pain relief, Alannah, who is from Wallsend, Tyne and Wear, was airlifted to the Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI) in Newcastle.

Left to right: Pilot Phil Lambert, Alannah Maher, Dr Andy Barrington and paramedic Andy Dalton

Mr Maher added: "She lost quite a lot of bone in and around the front of her skull, but they took away all the bits that were broken and put a big plate in."

Alannah was in intensive care for a week, then on Ward 11 for a further five weeks, where she spent some of her time building an air ambulance out of Lego. She has recovered well, however.

Dr Andy Barrington, of the GNAAS, attended the scene of the accident. He said: "When we got there, we saw Alannah had massive lacerations through her face and near her eye, and she had a fracture.

"They were really horrendous injuries, so we gave her pain relief and made sure she was comfortable, while also explaining to her mum what was happening, before flying Alannah to the RVI as quickly as possible.

“I didn’t know what the outcome would be considering the damage to her face but she looks really well."