A FARMER who suffered horrific injuries when he became trapped in a potato harvester on his farm near Tadcaster is hoping to return to work in the autumn.

Darren Taylor, who lost his left leg, the bottom of his right leg and severely damaged his arm when he became trapped in the machine last October, is to tell his story on TV today.

The complex mission to rescue him is to be featured on a new series of BBC1’s Helicopter Heroes at 9.15am today and again on Countryfile next Sunday.

Mr Taylor said he had been running the harvester in preparation for a morning’s work when he slipped and became caught in the machinery.

“It only had my foot in to start with and I tried to pull it out with my left hand and then it took my hand and more of my leg,” recalled the 44-year-old, who is married to Nicky and has three children.

“It was then starting to really hurt and I just was calling for help and trying to keep as much of me out of the machine as possible. It was about 20 minutes before someone came and switched the harvester off.”

He was flown by Yorkshire Air Ambulance to Leeds for emergency surgery, and was placed in an induced coma for eight days while surgeons battled to save his life. His left leg was fully amputated, his left elbow removed and the bottom of his right leg amputated. He spent three months in hospital before returning home on New Year’s Day.

“I have had one prosthetic leg fitted and I am hoping to be walking by early summer and want to be back to work by the autumn,” he said.

“I have lived and worked on farms all my life. There are times when it’s really tough to stay positive but we have this place and the children and I have had such amazing support from my family and friends; from everyone.”

Air ambulance paramedic Graham Pemberton said: “He was remarkably calm throughout what was a long and complex rescue and Darren’s is certainly a job I will remember for the rest of my life.”

His story will be featured in a new series of BBC1’s Helicopter Heroes at 9.15am today on BBC 1 and on Countryfile next Sunday.