A WOMAN says a Kent Air Ambulance crew saved her husband's life after he was seriously injured falling from a ladder.

Paul Piert, 34, fractured his skull, broke his ribs and collarbone, punctured a lung and had suspected brain damage when he fell while washing windows at his house, in Sissinghurst Drive, Maidstone.

His wife, Jayne, believes it was the quick response of the air ambulance - which arrived at the scene within two minutes - which prevented his injuries being fatal.

In order to get to where Mr Piert was lying injured the helicopter had to make one of its most difficult ever landings - in the middle of a small close of houses.

Mrs Piert, 33, said: "Maidstone Hospital is very close to where we live and when the accident happened the air ambulance was at the hospital. While I was with Paul I could hear it taking off.

"We saw it circle overhead before coming down. Later the pilot told me they had considered coming down in a field, but when they saw how serious the injuries were they knew they had to be quick and decided to land in the street."

After landing, the paramedics instantly cleared Mr Piert's airways and started attending his wounds. Within 15 minutes he had been taken to casualty at Maidstone Hospital.

Later the same day he was airlifted to Kings College Hospital in London. He is now in a stable condition and has been was taken off a ventilator.

Doctors have yet been able to assess the level of any brain damage and will have to wait until the effects of painkillers have worn off to do tests.

Mrs Piert said: "It is early days yet, but he is going in the right direction. The helicopter crew and the doctors that saw him were fantastic. I just want to thank them because I'm sure they saved his life."