HARROWING video footage of the high-speed crash which almost killed Richard Hammond at an airfield near York will be aired for the first time tomorrow night - but five of the Yorkshire Air Ambulance crew who helped save him have already had a sneak preview.

The team were invited to London on Wednesday to meet the TV presenter for the first time since his miraculous recovery and be part of the audience for this week's Top Gear.

Operations manager Mike Lindley, aircrew paramedics Darren Axe and Pete Valence, pilot Steve Cobb and air desk dispatcher Dave Gardener also saw the footage of the 288mph crash, which happened at Elvington Airfield last September. Mr Lindley said: "It was the first time we'd seen it and it was pretty harrowing. You have to see it to get a grasp of how fast he was going and what sort of danger he was in.

"It was pretty stark really."

The team were involved in Hammond's rescue from the start - from picking him up from the airfield just minutes after the smash, to transferring him to Bristol after his treatment at Leeds.

Mr Lindley said: "It was really nice of them to remember us and invite us to be part of the audience.

"Once filming was finished, we presented Richard with a signed picture of the Air Ambulance and spoke to him for about 20 minutes.

"He is absolutely fine now but he said he didn't remember much of the accident or even the transfer to Bristol.

"But when you see him on Sunday you will see he is back to his top fighting self.

"He was really grateful and appreciative and he said he was just glad to be here.

"People often ask me how he survived. I think it was just sheer lady luck."

The Top Gear star - nicknamed the Hamster - was attempting to break the British land speed record, in the Vampire jet car, when it crashed.

Fourteen seconds into the run, disaster struck as the car's right front tyre exploded, destabilising the powerful machine. It then went from 288mph to standstill in just six seconds, rolling several times, before leaving Hammond's head embedded in the ground. Within minutes the unconscious - but breathing - Hammond was in the Yorkshire Air Ambulance, heading for Leeds. Hammond suffered brain injuries after the smash.

But the father-of-two left hospital only five weeks after the high-speed accident and has made a full recovery.

The Yorkshire Air Ambulance enjoyed a 50 per cent increase in donations after the accident, with the total raised topping £250,000.

Footage of the crash will be shown on the first Top Gear of the new series at 8pm on BBC 2 tomorrow.