Shropshire Star

David Beckham photobombs Midlands Air Ambulance Pride of Britain winner

It's not every day you get photobombed by David Beckham as you tuck into a sausage roll.

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Doctor Ben Clark ended up with this souvenir backstage snap after winning an award at the Pride of Britain Awards.

He was part of the Midlands Air Ambulance crew who saved victims of the Smiler crash at Alton Towers. Dr Clark, 40, was enjoying a pre-show snack when the superstar former footballer decided to invade the picture.

The awards commended Dr Clark, along with Army doctor Major David Cooper, 34, and paramedic Tom Waters, 27, for their actions at the Midlands theme park in June.

The crew, who fly from bases including Shropshire's RAF Cosford, ignored safety rules to scale the ride and help the 16 casualties, including 18-year-old Leah Washington, who lost her left leg.

The teenager was reunited with the crew for the ceremony, which will be on ITV on Thursday.

Speaking at the awards, Dr Clark said it had been an amazing experience meeting so many famous people, including Beckham.

Speaking of the rescue in June, he said: "The fear for us that day was not being high on a rope, it was having four incredibly sick patients and thinking 'Are we going to win?'."

Major Cooper said: "The patients are the real heroes.

"They have shown exceptional courage. And we would do what we did again in a blink of an eye."

Paramedic Mr Waters said: "This means a lot, but for us to receive this award and then look at them, the survivors, they are so brave."

The award winners were on the Midlands Air Ambulance at Cosford when they were called to the theme park. Dr Clark, who is a volunteer with North Staffordshire Basics emergency doctors, was also mobilised to the scene.

Working with about 50 other ambulance staff, the trio climbed on to the Smiler Ride to free the trapped victims spending more than four hours working to save the casualties.

Major Cooper said: "We just did what we needed to do. Lots of people may have waited, but you just can't do that when someone is in the condition that Leah was."

Leah Washington, 18, had suffered a life-threatening bleed from a severed artery and the team also had to deal with a partial amputation at a height of 35ft-40ft.

Ms Washington, her boyfriend Joe Pugh, 18, Vicky Balch, 20, from Leyland, Lancashire – who also had to have a leg amputated – and partner Daniel Thorpe, were all seriously injured.

Speaking at the awards on Monday, West Midlands Ambulance Service paramedic Mr Waters, said: "We need to remember that it wasn't just us up there. This was a massive team effort by everyone there.

"Receiving the award does mean a lot, but for us, the real heroes are Vicky, Daniel, Joe and Leah who were trapped; they were so brave on the day and still are."

The awards will be shown on ITV on Thursday at 8pm.

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