How many paramedics does it take to help the BBC change a wheel?

BBC presenters had to have a paramedic and a first-aider watching over them as they changed a car wheel because of health and safety rules. Producers had to fill out a risk assessment before the two BBC Radio Essex presenters each took off a wheel for a feature on a programme about learning new skills.

BBC managers decided that medical staff had to be present in case the pair suffered any mishap while dealing with "unfamiliar equipment". St John Ambulance then agreed to send along a paramedic and a first-aider to supervise the wheel change in the BBC's studio car park in Chelmsford, Essex.

Caroline Lake, who runs Caroline's Cars in Ashwellthorpe, Norfolk, was invited on to the show to help the presenters change wheels thanks to her experience running maintenance courses for women. Miss Lake said the male and female presenter were just about to start when the producer turned up.



She said: "The producer then arrived and said, 'Great. It looks like we're ready to go. We've just got to wait for the paramedics. I looked at her and laughed, thinking she was joking. But just at that moment an ambulance arrived with two female staff. It pulled up less than a metre from our car and they took up position alongside it.

"I was unable to believe what I was seeing and I told them, 'You must be having a laugh' The producer then told me how BBC health and safety rules meant she had to fill in forms and have the staff in attendance. I replied that the world had gone mad and even the paramedic said she thought it was all a bit much.

"But they also said they didn't mind being there because they had never changed a wheel before and were hoping to learn something."