Near death experience

A MOTORCYCLIST who narrowly escaped death after a low-flying pigeon smashed into his head and caused an horrific 140mph crash near Gainsborough, is on the road to recovery.

Matthew Brealy, 38, from, Chesterfield, told how he was struck in the face at 50mph and knocked unconscious as his out-of-control Suzuki GSXR 1,000cc motorcycle sped up to 140mph.

The bike careered into a bush and a tree and threw Matthew - who was covered in pigeon blood and feathers - 200 yards down the main road between Caenby Corner, near Gainsborough and Retford.

He said: “I was knocked unconscious and collapsed on to the front of my bike and hit the throttle so that I accelerated out of control.”

Matthew suffered two skull fractures with bleeding to his brain, a broken leg, cracked ribs and a fractured hand and spent about ten weeks in Sheffield’s Northern General Hospital and his hand was re-wired and a titanium rod was placed in his leg.

Matthew added: “My visor was left with a hole in it and I was covered with pigeon blood and feathers. It was a bizarre, freak accident that nearly killed me but police say it’s more common than people realise for motorcyclists to be hit by birds.”

With a new lease of life, Matthew and his wife are expecting a baby in ten weeks and Matthew wants to expand his business.