Gill and Dave Horn were riding to the Lake District when their bike collided with a car turning into a right junction. The incident was caught on dashcam, and the couple were catapulted from their saddles onto a grass verge.
Speaking of the incident, Dave said: “I have no memory of it at all. The only memory I have is waking up in the hospital and wondering why am I there? I was lucky that I had a camera on my bike because I don’t remember it, and I don’t relate it to my accident. It was only when I saw Gill being thrown off the back of the bike on the footage that I realised it was us.”
Due to the remote area of the incident, Yorkshire Air Ambulance was dispatched. The crew treated both Dave and Gill and as Gill’s injuries were less severe, a decision was made for her to be transported to the hospital via land ambulance and Dave was flown to the Royal Preston Hospital for further treatment.
Tests at the hospital revealed that Dave had suffered a catalogue of serious injuries including a bleed on the brain, a punctured lung, a ruptured spleen, a broken ankle and several broken ribs. Gill had broken two ribs and suffered severe bruising.
Dave and Gill are still recovering from their injuries and the impact of the collision has weighed heavily on their finances as they both had to take considerable time off work.
“I’m here now, what does it matter? Money isn’t everything”, said Gill. When asked about his wife and how it feels since the incident, Dave said: “Gill is very precious to me and sometimes I still come over to give her a hug just because I can. You don’t realise how much you are loved until something like this happens.”
Speaking of Yorkshire Air Ambulance, Dave said: “I’m sat here today because of their expertise. They are a fantastic charity.”
Gill and Dave’s incident will be broadcast on the Yorkshire Air Ambulance reality television show on Tuesday 11th October at 9 pm. The episode also features a farmer crushed by an overturned tractor and a car crash with a drystone wall.