DESPITE recovering from a broken collarbone and cracked ribs, a Lostock cyclist is determined to ride the 69-mile Etape Mercia and raise as much money as he can to help people who cannot be healed as easily.

Wessley Jackson was in training for the sportive in April when he crashed his bike on the way home from a 50-mile ride.

“I was nearly home, going through Lach Dennis, and was going past some horses,” he said.

“They were a bit spooked so I moved out of the way but hit a wet patch.

“I use clipless pedals [which means a cyclist is attached to their bike] and when you’re going you go.

“I headed for the grass verge thinking it would hurt less but instead I went into a ditch at 25mph and went flying over the handlebars with my bike still attached to me.

“I landed on my head and left hand side, split my helmet, broke my collarbone and ribs, damaged my hips and did my knee in as well.

“I had just started a new job so I ended up getting laid off from that too and had to have an operation on my collarbone.”

Wessley, 36, was hospitalised and then spent two months recovering on the sofa at home.

“I’ve never been in as much pain in my life,” he said.

But knowing that people close to him had been diagnosed with cancer made him determined to face his fears and get back on his bike for Marie Curie Cancer Care.

“When you put it into the great scheme of things there are a lot of people much worse off,” he said.

“My injuries are healing and a lot of people are not that well off; they won’t heal.”

Wessley now has a new job and is enjoying being back in the saddle.

“I haven’t done 70 miles; I did 37 the other weekend but it’s still quite a while away and I will do it.

“I thought getting back on the bike would be really scary but I was fine. I just blocked it out of my head and thought ‘right, I’m doing this’.

“The first thing I did was go past the place where I had the crash – you’ve got to face your demons.”

l To support Wessley and sponsor his Etape Mercia cycle for Marie Curie Cancer Care visit virginmoneygiving.com/wessleyjackson.