A MOTORBIKE enthusiast who used his mobile phone to direct an air ambulance to his isolated location following a horrific road accident has spoken for the first time of his ordeal.

A MOTORBIKE enthusiast who used his mobile phone to direct an air ambulance to his isolated location following a horrific road accident has spoken for the first time of his ordeal.

Ed Hodgson last night paid tribute to crew members from the East Anglian Air Ambulance, who came to his aid after he lost control of his bike along a remote country road on March 12.

The builder, from Ousden, near Newmarket, suffered injuries to his leg that were so severe he has been told it could be months before he can walk properly or ride a bike.

“I had been doing some DIY at home one Sunday and decided to go out on my trial bike,” said Mr Hodgson, who lives at home with his wife, Louise, and four-year-old daughter, Amy.

“I was riding down a small by-way in Wickhambrook and I'm not really sure what happened but I lost control of the bike, and my left leg hit a tree.

“It all happened so quickly, and the next thing I knew I was lying in a ditch. I put my hands on my trousers, and my knee was not where it was supposed to be.”

Mr Hodgson, 37, who has been riding motorbikes since he was nine years old and is also a keen cyclist, immediately reached for his mobile phone, and dialled 999.

“I was lucky to get any signal because it can be very patchy in that area, but I managed to get through to someone,” he said.

“I was very disorientated and was not quite sure what was going on, but the man on the other end of the phone kept me focused, and I tried to explain to him where I was.

“I could see the land ambulance driving past me on the road, but because I was in a ditch the crew couldn't see me.”

The operator transferred Mr Hodgson's call straight through to the air ambulance crew, who were then able to locate his exact position.

He was taken to West Suffolk Hospital, in Bury St Edmunds, where surgeons worked to mend torn ligaments in order to stabilise his knee joint, which had dislocated when it impacted with the tree.

“The ambulance crews were exemplary, and the whole incident has really put things in perspective for me,” said Mr Hodgson, whose wife is expecting the couple's second child in a week's time.

“These people save lives, and I had never realised just what a great job they do until now.

“I am now waiting for my knee ligaments to heal and I may need another operation, although I have been told it may be a few months before I can put any weight on my leg, and it could be as long as a year before I can go back to work, although I am determined to get back on my bike as soon as possible.

“It is very frustrating because I am normally a very active person, but the accident could have been a lot worse and I am just trying to take things one day at a time.”

Simon Gray, executive director of the East Anglian Air Ambulance, said: “The Air Ambulance is ideal for helping people like Ed who suffer medical emergencies or accidents in remote locations, and we're delighted to hear that he's making a good recovery.

“Thanks to the huge efforts of our fund-raisers and supporters, our new aircraft will begin to come into service this month. It will allow us to provide an even higher level of clinical care to patients. “However, the new aircraft costs £110,000 per month to run so fund-raising is even more important as we receive no government or NHS funding.”