Top Gear's Hammond throws party for hospital staff who saved his life

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Thank you: Richard Hammond is inviting the staff who helped save his life to a party tonight

Top Gear presenter Richard Hammond is inviting the doctors, nurses and air ambulance staff who saved his life after a 288mph crash to a party tonight.

The 37-year-old is holding a book signing event in London, and has invited the staff along to thank them.

Hammond, nicknamed the Hamster by Top Gear colleagues James May and Jeremy Clarkson, was filming for the BBC2 show at Elvington airfield, near York, when the accident happened in September last year.

His 370mph jet-powered Vampire dragster veered off the runway, flipped over several times and crashed on to grass.

He had to be airlifted to Leeds General Infirmary where he stayed for five weeks.

Nursing staff from intensive care, the neurosurgery ward and accident & emergency as well as a consultant from the unit will be attending tonight's event at the Hospital Club in Covent Garden.

Elaine Andrews, the Matron responsible for neurosciences, said: "Richard's accident and the huge level of interest it prompted in the care we provided for him at Leeds General Infirmary is something all the staff involved here remember very well indeed.

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Road to recovery: paramedics help transfer Richard from Leeds General Infirmary to Bristol via air ambulance to be closer to his family after the crash last September

Lucky to be alive: Richard Hammond was seriously injured in the 288mph crash while filming an episode of Top Gear for the BBC

"It will be interesting to meet him again and see him fully recovered. We are hoping to maintain a link between Richard and the hospital in the months and years to come."

Yorkshire Air Ambulance also confirmed that some of their staff would be attending the party which comes 14 months after Hammond suffered a "significant brain injury" in a 288mph dragster crash.

After the crash Top Gear fans donated thousands of pounds to help fund a new helicopter for Yorkshire's Air Ambulance service.