Skydiver recalls crash landing that shattered leg

A skydiver has recalled the moment she lost control and crash landed in a Nottinghamshire field, shattering the bones in her right leg.

Lisa Sheldrake shared her experience of the nightmare scenario in 1999 to showcase the work of Lincs and Notts Air Ambulance (LNAA), which is marking 30 years of operations in 2024.

Ms Sheldrake, a nursery manager from Edwinstowe, jumped out of a plane at 3,500ft above Langar Airfield but lost her bearings.

By the time she regained control, she was too low to slow her descent and suffered severe injuries which meant she needed to be airlifted to hospital.

Ms Sheldrake, who took on the skydive to mark her 30th birthday, said: “I got in the plane with a few others. When my turn came, I sat on the edge looking down on a patchwork quilt of fields, with my stomach churning.

“Pushing myself out, I felt the parachute open behind me and I was free falling for a few seconds before the canopy inflated.

“You are in total control of your descent. You are trained to use the altimeter, monitor your speed, and pull the cords to change direction.

“But instructors on the ground are constantly advising you via radio.”

But she lost her bearings and contact with her instructors, and started to panic.

By the time she had steered herself to the right spot, she was too low to slow down in time.

She crashed to the ground, hearing the crack as her leg bones broke.

Laying on the runway, she raised her arm as she had been taught to do in case of an emergency - and shortly afterwards she saw LNAA's helicopter land close to where she lay.

The doctor and paramedic straightened Ms Sheldrake’s leg, wrapping an inflatable splint around it to give protection while she was airlifted to Nottingham’s Queen’s Medical Centre.

She added: “It was quite loud and scary in the helicopter, and the crew were so empathetic and understanding of my fear and pain.”

She still has metal rods and plates between her knee and ankle and 24 years later she still finds it painful to walk - but is thankful for the support of the LNAA crew that day.

Since 1994, the LNAA charity has been called to more than 29,500 incidents across Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire.

Follow BBC Nottingham on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected] or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210.