Richard Hammond Critical

[topaz]

hang in there buddy

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/n...re/5365676.stm

[Frosticles]

just read thisnon the RSOC site Tis bad news. Hope all is ok.

[james cruise]

Sky is saying 280mph

[RS2000&MEXICO]

thats bad news ....

[Dave1800BDA]

Bad News, really nice guy, met him at Top Gears first Dunsfold shoot, hes quite funny to.

[ian parker]

He,s a decent guy, hope he pulls through,

[Mex 1t]

hope he is ok he is a great guy i hope he pulls thro

[wiggyrs]

Thats bad, hope he pulls through

[Mex 1t]

heres a link to top gear so u can send a get well message to hamster hammond

http://www.bbc.co.uk/topgear/

[vinny]

come on little fella, we all routing for you

[Banishit]

the Super soaraway Sun this morning say 315mph ! but they never exaggerate

[hally]

sad news!

[paul spence]

bad news

[graham John]

the Super soaraway Sun this morning say 315mph ! but they never exaggerate

i wouldnt believe the date on the top of the Sun, always have to go over the top.......


cheeRS

[topaz]

THE wife of critically ill Top Gear host Richard “Hamster” Hammond insisted last night: “I know he’ll get through this.”
Brave Mindy, 35 — who has been at his bedside since his “utterly horrific” smash, added: “He’s the strongest man in the world.
“He’s a bit daft, but I love him to bits.”
Richard’s dragster car crashed and somersaulted at a reported 315mph — which would be a new UK land speed record.
He briefly regained consciousness after the crash and spoke to rescuers — but blacked out before being flown to hospital on a spinal board.
Last night colleagues were praying for him. One said: “It’s looking very grim.
“Richard was powering down a straight when one of the dragster’s huge tyres exploded.
“The car flipped into the air and somersaulted over and over. It was incredible he wasn’t killed. He briefly regained consciousness as we waited for the air ambulance but then he blacked out again.
“The dragster was smashed into tiny pieces that could be posted into a letter box.”

TO SEE MORE PICS OF RICHARD
Witness Dave Ogden, who works for Event Fire Services — responsible for safety at the shoot — explained: “Richard was doing the final run of the day when things went wrong.
“The parachute deployed from the back of the car and there was quite a lot of smoke.
“The dragster veered to the right and turned over a couple of times then came to a halt.
“It was upside down and Richard’s head was dug slightly into the ground. The roll cage had buried in the grass and his head was pushed in the soil. We quickly cleared the area around his helmet.
“We were able to right the vehicle and cut the roll frame to release him and put him on a spinal board with a neck collar.
“When we removed him he regained consciousness to a certain point. He told us where he was feeling pain but was very distressed.
“When we cut him out he had his harness and helmet on and the structure of the car was intact. This structure around him saved his life.
“The roll bar was in place until we cut it off.”
The crash happened at 5.35pm at Elvington Airfield near York — where police and medics’ vehicles were seen last night. The helicopter air ambulance arrived at 6pm. A spokesman said Richard regained consciousness shortly after the ten-minute flight to hospital in Leeds.
By 9pm Richard had been moved from the resuscitation area to intensive care at Leeds General where his condition was critical but stable.

Family ... Richard with Mindy and their daughters Willow and IsabellaRichard was driving a jet- powered dragster called the Vampire — used in attempts to break the UK land speed record. Colin Fallows failed to top his own record of 300.3mph in the dragster at RAF Fairford, Gloucs, in July.
Hammond’s record attempt typified the all-action stunts on Top Gear. He co-hosts the BBC2 show with Jeremy Clarkson and James May.
Sun columnist Jeremy, who towers over 5ft 7in Richard and dubs him “Hamster”, said he was “massively concerned”.
He added: “We haven’t been told much. All of us on the programme are waiting for news.
“My fingers are crossed and I’m hoping to get up there.”
May’s agent Annie Sweetbaum said: “James is absolutely devastated. He’s really shocked — his words to me tonight were, ‘He’s such a good mate’.”
Ex-Top Gear host Quentin Willson said last night Richard had “no fear” — but added that this accident underlines the danger of TV stunts.
He said: “The faster you go the more dangerous these things become and that is the problem with programmes like these raising their game. Unless you are a racing driver your abilities get threatened.
“All of us had a steely resolve. You want to be the best. There is no pressure from the BBC but it is in your own head. You want to do better than last week, or another car programme or break a record.
“There are lots of precautions and the BBC is very good but very occasionally you will get a unique situation like this where there is a jet propeller car and no rule book.”
He credited Richard for turning Top Gear into a “great gang show”, adding: “Richard had no fear. We all hope he gets better soon.”
Richard — voted “the No1 weird bloke it’s OK to fancy” by one magazine — also hosts Petrolheads, Richard Hammond’s Five O’Clock show and Sky One’s Brainiac.
He shares a London flat and a home near Cheltenham, Gloucs, with Mindy and daughters Isabella, five, and Willow, two.
Earlier this year Richard said: “I could quite happily spend my days rushing around the Top Gear test track.
“You can’t beat it. No traffic cameras, no policemen, and not a lot to hit. Even in a slow car, it’s great fun.
“Mindy loves things that roar and purr as much as I do.”
Mindy said she found it hard to watch her husband’s hair-raising stunts. But she admitted: “I can’t stop him. Richard loves doing dangerous things.”

e.cox@the-sun.co.uk

This morning, a hospital spokesman said: "There's been some improvement overnight. "At the family's request we won't be giving out any more information at this time."