A MOUNTAIN biker from York who was left with a catalogue of injuries after a crash has thanked the helicopter team who saved him.

Fifty-five year old Ivan Astbury, from Bishopthorpe, was cycling with his son Matthew, 28, in Hamsterley Forest, County Durham, when he came off his bike.

He had to be put into an induced coma before the Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS) could take him to hospital, but as Matthew had gone on ahead and there were no witnesses to Ivan’s crash, its cause is likely to remain a mystery.

Ivan said: “I don’t know what I did to fall off my bike, but the next thing I remember is waking up in hospital and wondering what had happened.”

Matthew was waiting for him to catch up some way down the trail, but turned round to look for him when his father failed to appear.

He found Ivan lying on the ground and rang for the emergency services before ringing his mother, Sally Astbury, to tell her the news.

Ivan’s crash had left him with a broken shoulder blade, a bleed on the brain, nerve damage to his eye, a dislocated finger, bruising to his jaw and face and other numerous cuts and bruises.

Sally said: “On the phone Matthew said Ivan was talking so I thought he wasn’t going to be that bad.

"So when we found out Ivan had been put into an induced coma, it was a shock for both of us.”

The father-of-two spent six days in hospital but has made a good recovery, although due the nerve damage in his eye means he still cannot fully open his right eyelid.

Sally added: “At the end of the day, I don’t know what would have happened if GNAAS weren’t there.

"I’ll always be indebted to these guys and I can’t thank them enough for their help.”

If fit and well by next year, Ivan plans to be back on his bike in time to tackle the 20-mile route of the Hamsterley Beast off-road cycle ride with Matthew, helping the GNAAS as the same time.

All profits from the event go to the GNAAS.

It takes place on May 13, for information or to sign up go to www.hamsterleybeast.com/entry.