A WISBECH man who partially amputated his arm in an accident with a circular saw is lucky to be alive, according to a paramedic who treated him. The man believed to be in his 80s sliced through his left arm, just above the elbow, while cutting trees in h

A WISBECH man who partially amputated his arm in an accident with a circular saw is lucky to be alive, according to a paramedic who treated him.

The man believed to be in his 80s sliced through his left arm, just above the elbow, while cutting trees in his garden.

The man is now being treated at Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge.

Magpas paramedic Simon Standen, 32, said: "The arm was still attached but was partially amputated and there was a lot of bleeding.

"If we had not been able to control the bleeding quickly the man would have died from blood loss.

"It is very difficult for me to say if doctors will be able to save his arm but we have been able to give him the best chance possible and I'm sure they will do everything they can."

The incident took place shortly before 5pm on Thursday.

Mr Standen, from St Ives, and one other Magpas paramedic were called in for specialist support.

They helped to stabilise the man and prepare him for an air ambulance, which rushed him to hospital.

He said: "We applied a Velcro canvas strap which allowed us to quickly apply pressure to the injury and then a special QuickClot dressing which has helps to quickly stop the bleeding.

"The man was very distressed but we gave him some pain relief and made him comfortable."

Mr Standen, from St Ives, is employed by the East Anglian NHS Ambulance Trust and is one of a small group of full-time paid paramedics to be based with the emergency medical charity Magpas.

He said: "I started out volunteering with Magpas to get some specialist training and increase my capabilities. That training really paid off here."

Debbie Florence, spokesperson for Magpas, said: "The two paramedics delivered a very high level specialist care to the gentlemen.

"The ambulance trust and Magpas are committed to providing the very highest level of pre-hospital medical care.