It was Top Gear presenter Richard Hammond's second trip in the Yorkshire Air Ambulance in as many weeks.

But this time it was a much happier journey. The 36-year-old star was discharged from Leeds General Infirmary and transferred to a hospital nearer his home in Cheltenham. He was laughing and smiling as he was airlifted in the famous yellow helicopter to Leeds/Bradford airport, from where he caught a plane.

The star's consultant yesterday predicted he could be "back to his old self" within six months.

That's just the news his many fans - and the air ambulance staff who helped save his life - have been waiting for.