Peter Stewart, who came onto the field from the reserve bench in the under 18 match between the Wellington Cowboys and Dubbo Macquarie, was attempting a tackle and fell awkwardly. 

Players and supporters rushed to the young man’s aid and when he couldn’t move parts of his body, paramedics were called. 

The ambulance soon arrived and after carefully assessing his condition paramedics called for the 24-hour medical retrieval helicopter from Orange.

Thirty minutes later it landed through the mist and fog in the middle of the football field.

Mr Stewart was then carried on a stretcher and swiftly taken to Orange hospital. Just before midnight came the good news, he was allowed to go home.

The 24-hour helicopter, which was only launched this year, has been busy according to its crew. So busy, in fact, it’s visits to accident scenes now outnumber those in the Illawarra.

“We have visited Bathurst, Condobolin, Lake Cargelligo and now Wellington tonight in the last four days’’ one of the crew explained.

“It took us under 30 minutes to get here and with the technology we have like night-vision goggles, difficult night-time situations are so much easier. 

“We could see the ground from kilometres away and with the support of paramedics on the ground can move the patient swiftly into the air.’’ 

The under 18 match was halted with Dubbo Macquarie leading 48-6.