Helicopter ER: Air ambulance called to Yorkshire Sunday league match after sickening clash of heads

Jon James had his skull shattered when he was playing for Huntington Rovers in a local derby game at Wiggington in York after he went for a header with an opposing player. The air ambulance was called for but when his condition deteriorated, a second helicopter was sent to the scene. The incident was featured on television in the latest episode of Helicopter ER, which airs at 9pm on Quest on February 17.

The 37-year-old Jon said: “It was a complete accident but the other guy’s head hit me full force. I was so lucky Wiggington’s goalkeeper is an ex-army paramedic and realised the seriousness of my injury straight away and called the emergency services.”

Jon, from Rawcliffe, had fractured his skull and eye socket in the collision and loose bone had also damaged nerves behind his eye threatening his sight. He was taken to Leeds General Infirmary major trauma centre where surgeons were able to repair the nerve damage and insert two metal plates into his skull.

“I was able to go home after a week but then had to lie down as much as possible for the next three months while the bones healed and fused properly,” added father-of-one Jon. “I had a phased return to work over the next three months waiting for my sight to come back completely with regular tests so I could drive again.

“I’m just so grateful to the air ambulance, the goalkeeper Russ Howarth and everyone there on the day. They were all amazing and genuinely saved my life. And people have just been so kind. When I couldn’t work a GoFundMe page was set up to help which was just incredible. I genuinely feel like the luckiest man in the world.”

Jon has had to give up football following the injury but made one final appearance for Huntington, coming on in the final few minutes of the last game of the season and scoring with the last kick of the game. The win meant Huntington clinched the York league title.