Six years ago Jonathan Waddingham nearly lost his life in a freak farm accident near Thetford.

It was a hot summer day - June 26, 2018. An aluminium pipe feeding an irrigator exploded without warning and a piece of metal flew into his chest and bounced to his hip, piercing his lung and the top of his leg.

"A piece of metal went in and it opened me up like a tin of tuna," he said. "I'm grateful to still be here."

A quick-thinking fellow farm worker - Tim - used Jonathan's T-shirt to stem the bleeding and called 999.

"I remember the feeling of the T-shirt being inside my chest to stop the bleeding. I still feel that sometimes when I sleep. It's a bit scary - I still get nightmares and stuff," he said.

"It was just a freak accident - wrong place, wrong time."

By 3.45pm, the East Anglian Air Ambulance’s (EAAA) Anglia Two (Cambridge) helicopter crew was set in motion - reaching Jonathan at 4.08pm to take him to Addenbrooke's Hospital.

East Anglian Air Ambulance in action (Image: EAAA)

The Farm Safety Foundation - or Yellow Wellies - has been highlighting some of the dangers farmers face during its annual Farm Safety Week from July 22 to 26 as harvest gets under way - and underlining the importance of taking care of their safety.

Local charities including the East Anglian Air Ambulance (EAAA) and farm mental health charity YANA (You Are Not Alone) are among the organisations which play a pivotal role in helping to save lives on the region's farms.

In Jonathan's case, the role of the East Anglian Air Ambulance (EAAA)  - a charity providing advanced critical care 24 hours a day, 365 days a year - was critical. 

Jonathan Waddingham with his works van (Image: Jonathan Waddingham) In a largely rural region, its specialist doctors, critical care paramedics and pilots are able to bring a skilled crew, equipment and medicine directly to patients in the fastest time possible.

He is full of praise for the role it played - as well as the medics at Addenbrooke's, his workmate, and his family and friends.

He counts himself "very, very lucky" after surviving his injuries. He underwent 11 hours of surgery, was put in an induced coma and spent more than a month in hospital. Recovery took nearly a year and a half.

Jonathan's EAAA tattoo and chest scars (Image: Jonathan Waddingham) "I'm absolutely incredibly thankful," he said. "I'm very, very lucky to have working limbs and to make something of myself".

He added: "I'm incredibly grateful to how the farm has supported me. They have supported me massively - they would take me out and see the tractors."

Now aged 26, Jonathan - who attended Wayland Academy at Watton - is the proud owner of his own property development business, Waddingham Developments, which he set up with his compensation money from the farm insurance.

He would love to be involved in farming still - he was brought up on a farm as his parents run a chicken operation at East Wretham, near Thetford, for Banham Poultry - but doesn't think his injury will allow it.

The wound to his leg - there was soft tissue damage and his hip broke in seven different places - was extensive and in cold weather he feels the pain.

"With the way my body is it's only going to get worse with an injury like this. The easy part was surviving," he said. "I would say the hard part is learning to listen to my body more."

He added: "It's made me into who I am today. I'm incredibly grateful for how my life is now. It's a hard life but nobody's got an easy life."

EAAA treated more than 1,900 people across the region last year - but it receives no regular government funding and relies almost entirely on public support.

Mental health was not a factor in Jonathan's accident, but YANA is using Farm Safety Week to highlight the importance of emotional wellbeing on farms.

Chairman of trustees at YANA Tom Streeter - who is a farmer - warned that poor mental health can be a factor in some farm accidents.

"Feeling distracted, worrying about life events and work-related stress can impact on the concentration needed when dealing with machinery, vehicles and livestock," he said.

"92% of farmers under 40 say that mental health is one of the biggest hidden problems in the industry and 85% agree that farm safety and mental health are linked."

As well as a confidential helpline and counselling, the charity also provides mental health first aid training.

To find out more or to donate, visit www.eaaa.org.uk,  www.yanahelp.org and www.yellowwellies.org.