Overview

• On May 12, Christopher York lost control of his Bosch chainsaw while trimming hedges and suffered a two-inch gash under his chin that missed his jugular vein by 1 mm and his windpipe by 3 mm.
• York was rushed to Chesterfield Royal Hospital where an on-duty vascular specialist performed emergency surgery to stop life-threatening blood loss.
• His wife, Veronika, and a neighbour provided first aid and called 999, and police briefly placed her in pre-arrest before confirming the injury was accidental.
• After weeks in intensive care, York has returned home to Chesterfield and is continuing his recovery under family care.
• The incident underscores the risks of DIY power tools, the value of rapid trauma response and the potential for procedural errors in domestic emergency investigations.