A 50-year-old Kyogle timber-mill worker had a wooden stake impaled through his cheek and mouth while working at the mill yesterday morning.
The Kyogle SES cut approximately 30cm of the stake leaving approximately 20cm of the stake still in place.
Around 12.30pm yesterday the Westpac Life Saver Rescue Helicopter was called to airlift the man, who had been taken by road to Kyogle Hospital, to Lismore Base Hospital. On arrival at the Lismore Helibase, however, the helicopter retrieval doctor decided the patient needed to be airlifted straight through to the Gold Coast Hospital, where he is now recovering.