Skipton Tour de France roof fall is to feature on television show

Sally Hartley, 49, had climbed onto the roof of the High Corn Mill, Skipton, to join other people who had climbed up to watch the cycling race when she plunged more than 20ft through plastic sheeting. She hit an iron table before striking her head on the stone flagged floor.

“There were others behind me and I climbed through a window onto a hay bale and then just took two steps and fell straight through the plastic sheeting,” she said.

The nail technician, who was airlifted to Leeds General Infirmary, suffered severe concussion and damaged her lower back but her fall did not result in serious physical injuries. Her rescue by the Yorkshire Air Ambulance will be shown during Friday’s episode of the new BBC1 series Countryside 999.

Sally, of Haworth said: “I did have really bad dizziness and vertigo for a few months after the accident and now have back problems, but the accident has affected be much more mentally.

“I have changed from being a very outgoing and bubbly person to someone who can just burst into tears for no reason. I was having really bad panic attacks and it’s been really hard.

“I am just so grateful for the air ambulance. I don’t remember much immediately after the fall but the paramedics were just amazing.”

The Yorkshire Air Ambulance had the busiest weekend in its history when the Tour de France passed through Yorkshire last year attending 31 incidents between Friday, July 4 and Sunday, July 6.

The rescue will feature on Countryside 999 on Friday at 11am on BBC1. The series follows the emergency services in rural Britain.