A man who lost his arm in a childhood accident nearly 50 years ago is on a mission to track down and thank those who saved his life.
Darren Peel and his family had been on a trip to Southport in July 1975 when they decided to take a trip on a plane to see the resort from the air.
He had been holding the pilot’s hand when he suddenly ran off to the front of the idle aircraft and into its propeller, which instantly severed his arm.
Thanks to the emergency services and staff at the nearby Broadgreen Hospital his life was saved, although the arm could not be reattached.
Now he is trying to find those responsible to say thank you, the Liverpool Echo reported.
Darren, now 53, said: “We'd gone out for a day trip and wanted to go on the pleasure trip, on the plane.
"I remember being excited as a five-year-old and my dad and my sister and another friend had already boarded the aircraft. I held the pilot's hand and let go and went round from the back of the aeroplane to the front and that’s when it got my arm.
"The shock overcame the pain to be honest with you. I remember my dad jumped out the aircraft and obviously came to me and he rammed his body into mine to try and stop the flow of blood. I remember him saying ‘for Christ’s sake don't fall asleep’.
“If those people are still alive today, I would love to thank them and anyone else who was involved, anyone on the intensive care unit, any of the nurses who were on the men's wards at that time. All the people who were involved in my care.
"They saved my life at the end of the day and the police officers involved back then, getting me to Broadgreen."
Darren says he remembers being taken to Southport Infirmary for a blood transfusion and later being escorted by police to Broadgreen Hospital for further care.
After two operations, there had been hope his left arm could be reattached but it proved unsuccessful.
In 1977, two years after the accident, damages were awarded to Darren.
He added: “Unfortunately it didn’t take. I think at that time reattachment of limbs was pretty much in its infancy, they'd never tried it before
"I think there’s a quote somewhere of it not being tried before. And ok it didn't and to be honest I'm very positive, I'm a very positive person.
"It didn't happen and I've lived with that for all this time and I have no regrets on that, none at all.
“I've always managed all these years, it’s been 47 years. I just adapted.
“After the accident occurred I saw a helicopter on the beach and the ironic thing is I've got a real interest in helicopters and photography. I love going to the Southport Air Show."
"I do have an artificial limb and my colleagues at Royal Mail helped raised funds for a new prosthetic arm. They raised over £20,000.
"I don't think the NHS was investing much money into the prosthetics until my colleagues raised those funds and highlighted the situation.
“However, I managed to get it on the NHS and the money they raised at work went to two charities, one was Bolton Hospice and the other one was Derian House."
