AN ACCIDENT in 2012, could have changed crofting couple, Don and Cara Cameron's lifestyle completely when Don lost his arm while cleaning a baler.

In a moment of absent-mindedness, he got his arm caught between one of the baler's rotating belts and a dimpled roller. Luckily, he was not pulled into the baling chamber, but the result was an on-site amputation of his left arm by an emergency medical team, with more treatment after being airlifted to hospital.

Waking up in hospital, Don's initial thoughts were how was he going to continue working on the croft, shear his sheep and keep his off-shore work with Transocean.

Two years on, Don and Cara are going from strength to strength with thanks to friends and family, as well as support from the team at Transocean. And he is delighted that he is able to work his sheep again thanks to the use of an easy to use Combi Clamp handler, from Ritchie.

With 30 ewes, 10 hoggs and more than 45 lambs for him to look after, the set-up is proving a valuable asset. Set-up in a long race, Don is able to, as he puts it himself, 'single handedly' check feet, dag and dose whilst all animals remained calm.

"It's simple to use," said Don. "The Combi Clamp operates by me placing my body weight onto a foot plate which in turn operates a spring tensioned side panel which holds the sheep in place within the race. I can then access the front and rear of the sheep with ease."

He has Texal cross and Cheviot sheep and the machine's simple width adjustment, means that he can handle both with ease. An experienced sheep farmer and family friend, who helped Don, commented that he wished he had one when he was younger.

"In the early days after the accident, everything was a challenge. I'm not someone who easily asks for help, so being able to manage and clip my flock by myself has been amazing and means we can look forward with some plans of expansion."