A man has been hospitalised after a 'freak chainsaw accident' while working in a woodland park near Durham. Emergency services, including the Great North Air Ambulance, responded to Bearpark Colliery Woods shortly before midday on Wednesday, July 15, 2026.
Emergency response and eyewitness account
Police confirmed the man injured himself while carrying out forestry work and was taken to hospital by paramedics. An eyewitness described seeing the air ambulance circle overhead before landing near the incident site. 'I was at my parents' house and watched the air ambulance circling, so decided to go and have a look,' they said. 'I got down to Bearpark Colliery Woods and saw a crowd, an ambulance, the air ambulance and so many police. I spoke to the emergency services there, who said a worker was injured with a chainsaw in a freak accident, but I don't know how bad it is.'
Ambulance service details
A spokesperson for North East Ambulance Service stated: 'We dispatched a double-crewed ambulance, a duty officer, a specialist paramedic, two vehicles from our Hazardous Area Response Team and were supported by the Great North Air Ambulance Service. One patient was taken by road to the Royal Victoria Infirmary.'
Police assistance
Durham Constabulary confirmed officers attended to assist ambulance crews. A police spokesperson said: 'We were called just before 11.45am to reports of a forester being injured whilst working in Bearpark Colliery Woods. Officers assisted the ambulance service who transported the man to hospital.' The current condition of the man has not yet been confirmed by authorities.
