A RIDER had a lucky escape after being thrown off his motorcycle near a sharp bend in Abbotsbury, police said.

The 55-year-old man was riding a blue Suzuki motorbike that was found about 80 yards from the bend and off the road, and several yards from the rider himself.

He was riding with five others, including his wife and brother, who said he ‘disappeared’ after taking the bend at the bottom of Abbotsbury Hill at around 11am yesterday morning.

Unaware that he had been thrown off his motorbike, the group continued their journey to Weymouth before turning back to find the emergency services at the scene.

The motorcyclist, from Taunton, suffered serious injuries including a punctured lung and a dislocated knee.

He was airlifted to the Dorset County Hospital in Dorchester by coastguard helicopter.

His friends and family said a raised area of the road just after the bend could be to blame for the accident.

One said: “We never go too fast and we weren’t then.

“We were just behind him but when we got round the corner he was gone.

“There is a bump in the road and if that is a factor of the crash then maybe the council should be looking at it.”

His brother added: “We are all hoping he is going to be all right.”

Police inspector John Mallace, leading the investigation, said the rider’s injuries could have a lot worse.

He said: “The raised part of the road could be dangerous when not taking it at the right speed, but we wouldn’t like to say what is to blame or not to blame yet.

“This was a very lucky escape.

“If he had hit a tree, the post or anything hard, it could have ended up far worse than it did. “He is lucky to be alive.”

Inspector Mallace also pointed out that the motorcyclist was wearing full protective equipment and this lessened his injuries. He added: “All motorists and motorcyclists should enjoy the roads in Dorset without putting themselves or anybody else at risk of injury or death.”

Police are appealing for witnesses. They especially want to hear from the driver of a dark VW Beetle, which had an open engine at the back, and was travelling at the same time as the motorcycle.