THE family of a boy, who suffered a horrific injury after falling from the top of a climbing frame, has walked miles to thank those who saved his life with only minutes to spare.

In June last year, Joshua Johnson was playing in the back garden, as he had done so many times before, when disaster struck as he fell from the top of a climbing frame.

Terrified mum Angela Johnson said: “Josh landed on his arm which folded backwards on itself. It completely snapped his wrist, arm and main artery.

“He was screaming and his dad managed to pick him and walk with him into the house to call for the ambulance.

“The ambulance arrived and there wasn’t time to get him to hospital by land and he had to fly to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital.

“We were told he had to be in theatre within the hour to save his arm and save his life, he was just bleeding so much.”

The youngster, who attends school in Daisy Hill, was rushed to hospital and after extensive surgery and a week’s stay at Alder Hey, Josh left with his arm in recovery. The mum realised only later that the North West Air Ambulance is a charity service and, on the anniversary of her son’s accident, decided she wanted to show her gratitude to the team.

Ms Johnson said: “It took seven and a half minutes to get from our house in Hindley Green to the hospital and the air ambulance team were amazing with us and Josh.”

“If it wasn’t for the air ambulance, I think it would have been a completely different outcome, they were such an important part of saving Josh. I couldn’t just not do anything when I found out they were a charity.”

In June this year, the Johnson family did a sponsored walk of the journey Josh took from Hindley Green to Alder Hey.

Instead of seven minutes, it took the family over seven hours to complete the 20 mile-trip, but together they raised a huge £2,425.09 for the life-saving charity.

Ms Johnson said: “We wanted to say thank you because you never know when you might need them.”

The family will continue to raise money to push their total to £2,500.