Yorkshire Air Ambulance thanked by world’s fastest woman

The world’s fastest woman on two wheels, Becci Ellis, has made a special return to Yorkshire Air Ambulance to thank medics for helping her to survive a motorcycle crash she suffered whilst attempting to break her own land speed record.

Ellis was trying to beat her previous best of 264 mph (425 kph) last August on her Suzuki Hayabusa motorbike at Elvington Airfield, North Yorkshire, UK but after reaching an incredible 254 mph (409 kph), a gust of wind sent the bike veering off course. She managed to keep control for another quarter of a mile, but with the machine still travelling at 90 mph (145 kph) the bike threw the 49-year-old IT analyst and mother of two.

All of this happened in front of a group of spectators, including her own husband Mick, but the Yorkshire Air Ambulance was quick to respond and had Ellis in a hospital in Leeds within minutes. Thanks to her racing suit, she only suffered a broken ankle, severe bruising and whiplash, despite sliding ‘about 70 yards (64 m)’ on the ground after she came off her bike.

After a painful and slow recovery, she is ready to ride again and brought her brand new bike along to show Yorkshire Air Ambulance crews at their base near Wakefield.

“The paramedics and pilots are just fantastic, and taking the new bike up was my way of saying thank you for being there for me that day,” Ellis said of her visit to Nostell Air Base. “I know, not just from what happened to me, but having seen what they do at events, they have definitely saved lives. Accidents happen but it is so reassuring to know that we have this amazing service on hand to look after us.”

Ellis and her husband have collected for the Air Ambulance for ‘about 12 years’ and said they raised £500 on the day after her accident.