Portland rescue helicopter was sent to airlift a diver with the bends from a motorway service station.

Portland coastguard was requested to help the Great Western ambulance service in airlifting a man to the decompression chamber in Poole.

A spokesman for the coastguard said the man had been diving in a quarry in South Wales and had started to drive home when he became unwell.

He said: “He became ill on the drive home and stopped at Leigh Delamere service station near Chippenham.

“Between ourselves, the ambulance service and RAF Kinloss we co-ordinated the airlift.

“We used Rescue 106 to take him to the decompression chamber at Poole.”

Staff at the service station had to clear the car park to let the helicopter land.

The rotor blades were kept running so that the helicopter could take off quickly.

The man was believed to be an experienced diver and so he was able to spot the early signs of decompression sickness and call 999.

A spokesman for Great Western ambulance service said: “We had a couple of rapid response vehicles and an ambulance on scene.

“The man was an experienced diver. He was able to talk directly to the dive doctor at Poole and was conscious and breathing throughout.

“The service station staff were very good and helped to clear a place for the helicopter to land.

“The helicopter took off at 6.55pm and got to Poole at 7.13pm.”