New England Westpac Rescue Helicopter evacuation delayed by sleet, low cloud, wind

The poor conditions meant a 24 year old man, injured in a motor bike accident, was driven by road ambulance for about an hour, according to the helicopter service.

On Saturday, the man suffered injuries to his lower limbs in a "serious" motor bike accident near the small New England town of Bolivia.

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The Westpac Rescue Helicopter was called to the scene at around 1.35pm on Saturday afternoon.

But it was forced to land at Tabulam, on the Eastern side of the Great Dividing Range, with the helicopter service estimating winds up to 45 knots. Low cloud and sleet also affected visibility, a spokesperson said.

The patient was driven by the Ambulance Service of NSW from Bolivia to the small town east of Tenterfield. Parademics treated the man on the journey.

He was flown from there to Lismore Hospital for further treatment.

The man was in a stable condition on Saturday, the Westpac Rescue Helicopter service said.

It was the first of two dramatic emergency calls on the weekend.

The helicopter service was again called on Sunday morning at 3am to carry out an urgent medical transfer for a 74 year old female patient at the Moree Hospital.

The woman, who was reportedly suffering a serious medical condition was flown to Newcastle's John Hunter Hospital for specialist treatment.

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