One dad is raising awareness of cycle safety after his son nearly lost his life coming off his bike.
Dale Percival took to social media to share a terrifying photo and grave warning after 12-year-old Jude flew over his handlebars and smacked his head into the concrete.
He was left with a bleed on the brain and was taken to intensive care, where doctors battled to save his life, and concluded he was lucky to have survived.
Months on, Jude has recovered and has even been given the go-ahead to get back on two wheels – but this time round, dad Dale is taking no chances with his safety.
Hearing of Jude's harrowing incident, local bike shop Cycleworld gifted Jude a brand new bike helmet, which had been fitted to his head.
https://www.facebook.com/cycleworldshop/photos/a.571256869576407.1073741827.146842358684529/1458736190828466/?type=3
Sharing a picture of the boy with his new helmet standing in front of the shop, they wrote: 'A couple of months ago this young lad had an accident on his bike leaving his family terrified of the outcome, his father Dale Percival wrote about this accident which caught our attention.'
'He wrote about the importance of crash helmets, because his son never wore one. We felt the need to help the family out by donating a crash helmet to help get this young lad get back on his bike and safe. Remember folks helmets save lives!'
Dale said that his son hadn't wanted to wear a helmet because he thought it was 'uncool', but commented beneath the picture saying: 'Thank you guys the helmet is a lot cooler than seeing my son like this,' and using the hashtag 'NoCycleNoRide', which is now using to campaign to have the law on crash helmets changed.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10214620297847066&set=p.10214620297847066&type=3&theater
'I should have protected my son like I always would and made sure he wore a helmet when out on his bike,' Dale told the Mirror. 'I know that it's not ‘cool’ to wear a helmet, but the pictures of Jude fighting for his life are a lot less cool.'
'What I'd say to teenage lads is wear them when you are racing about and when you stop, take them off and hang them on your handlebars because that one time you make a mistake might be the last time you ever ride a bike,' he continued.
'The head neurologist said Jude has been a very, very lucky boy to not have serious brain damage or even be dead.'
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