Engineer ‘severs arm’ while working at top of telecoms tower in rural Wiltshire

A man has been airlifted to hospital after sustaining a significant injury in rural Wiltshire.

Emergency services, including five ambulances and an air ambulance, were called to the incident on farmland south of Devizes at around 12.30pm today (Monday, 18 July).

A man, understood to be an engineer, became trapped by his arm at the top of a telecoms tower close to Great Cheverell – sparking the large 999 response.

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Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service said it sent crews from Devizes and Trowbridge, supported by the aerial ladder platform from Salisbury and a rope rescue team from Bristol.

Of the ambulances in attendance, one was a local ambulance crew – four others were South Western Ambulance Service’s specially trained Hazardous Area Response Teams (HART).

The casualty was freed by first responders and brought to safety by 2pm.

Wiltshire Air Ambulance was also in attendance, airlifting the man to the Major Trauma Centre at Southmead Hospital in Bristol with what is understood to be a partially or fully severed arm.

The Ministry of Defence Police had a small presence at the scene, thought to be preserving the site ahead of a visit from the Health and Safety Executive in due course.

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