TWO men were airlifted to hospital with serious injuries after they plunged more than 20ft from a falling cherry picker.

The drama unfolded at 11am yesterday while two tree surgeons were cutting back a large copper beech tree in a private garden in Milborne St Andrew.

Firefighters arrived at the scene shortly before 11am to find self-employed arborist Chris Baxter and his colleague lying near the cage of their overturned cherry picker.

Ambulance crews, police officers and firefighters attended the scene at Chapel Street and both the police helicopter and the Dorset and Somerset Police helicopter were scrambled.

Due to the severity of the injuries both helicopters were used to transport the casualties, both in their twenties, to Dorset County Hospital.

Last night Mr Baxter was being treated for severe leg injuries in Intensive Care at DCH and his colleague was reported to be in a less serious state.

Station manager Angus Nairn, from Blandford Fire Station, who attended the scene, said: “This is a very unusual incident but our crews did a really good job in difficult circumstances.

“They assisted the ambulance crews to ensure the casualties got to hospital as quickly and efficiently as possible.

“Our crew’s casualty care knowledge was utilised well during this incident and both casualties were taken to hospital by air support units.”

Resident and chair of the village, parish council Michael Hopper, heard the commotion outside in the street and witnessed the men being carried into the helicopters.

He said: “The two men were using a cherry picker to work on a large copper beech tree but it must have tipped over and fell to the ground.

“It appeared that the injured men had sustained broken legs plus other injuries.”

A spokesman for the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance said: “We were called at 11am after being told two men had been injured in a cherry picker.

“Because of the injuries and the location the men were transported to DCH as soon as possible and arrived at 12.16pm.”

A spokesperson for Dorset Police said that the Health and Safety Executive were informed after the men were airlifted in order to make the scene safe.

Mr Baxter is a contractor based in Blandford and works for the National Trust, schools, builders and developers and private households all around Dorset.