Newton Aycliffe quarry fall: Boy's mum says he told her he might die

The mother of a teenager who fell into a quarry on a bike ride with his friend has described how he called, telling her he thought he would die.

Travis Dixon, 15, fell about 39ft (12m) to the bottom of Middridge Quarry, near Newton Aycliffe in August.

The keen footballer punctured both lungs and lacerated his kidneys while breaking his spine in several places and his pelvis in three.

His mother Emma said Travis had called her saying she had to "get here quick".

Several months on, the teenager has returned to the pitch after making what the paramedic who dealt with his injuries said was a "remarkable" recovery.

Travis and his friend had been walking near the edge of the County Durham quarry when the accident happened.

"When I hit the bottom I knocked myself out but my mate didn't know I was just knocked out, he saw me lying on the floor and thought that I might be dead," Travis said.

His friend took off his own T-shirt and held it against Travis's head to try to stop the bleeding and called 999.

Travis's mother Emma Dixon said her son then phoned her, telling her "you need to get here quick - I think I'm going to die".

"He genuinely did think he was dying at that point," she said.

The North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) was dispatched with paramedics requesting back-up from the Great North Air Ambulance (GNAAS).

Once on the scene, they assessed Travis before wrapping him up in foil blankets.

A GNAAS helicopter landed near to the site of the accident.

From there, he was taken to the James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough and later transferred to the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle.

Travis said: "I've since had a lot of physiotherapy and gym sessions, and I did one on one football sessions before going back to football after three months off."

Last week, Travis and his family were invited to the GNAAS base where they met those who rescued him, including paramedic Hollie Smith.

Ms Smith said: "It was really rewarding to see Travis doing so well only three months after his fall.

"Despite his injuries, he has made a remarkable recovery, and I am amazed that he is back playing football already."

"To be playing football again after those kinds of injuries is nothing short of amazing, it reflects his dedication to his craft," she added.

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