MOTORCYLIST Pete Bower thought he had died when he was involved in a horror road crash on Portland.

Mechanic Pete, 54, who suffered life-threatening injuries when his motorcycle collided with a black Audi A3 on the causeway, saw the faces of passed away loved ones in a near death experience as he lay on the roadside.

Now recovering in Bristol Hospital, Pete has expressed his ‘sincere thanks’ to the medics and helpers who saved his life following the crash.

Even before the Ambulance arrived, four medically trained people left their vehicles in the traffic jam following the collision and ran to offer their services.

This included an off-duty paramedic, a newly qualified doctor, a veterinary surgeon and an accident emergency nurse. A passing cyclist offered his help to cut him from his motorcycle gear.

Portlander Pete said: “If those people weren’t there, I wouldn’t be here today. It was a one in a million chance that those medically trained people were in the queue – boy, was I lucky.

“I really thought I was going to die and for a moment I thought I was already gone. I blacked out at the scene where I had visions of people I knew who have already died. The next minute, I could hear people talking around me and cutting my gear off.

“Since the crash I very much believe in the sayings, ‘live for the day’ and ‘here today, gone tomorrow’, because I very much was nearly ‘gone tomorrow’.

“Life’s too short and I feel truly lucky to be alive.”

Pete said he was also extremely thankful for all the get well cards that flooded in to Peter Bower Motor Vehicles at the Tradecroft Industrial Estate on Portland since the accident in August. He is now awaiting the fitting of an adjustable ring frame for his right leg that suffered severe damage in the accident.

All his other bone injuries are repairing well and he hopes he will be able to move from his hospital bed on to crutches and return home shortly.

The hospital has projected that he may be able to walk again in between three months and two years.

His son, Peter, 35, who is taking care of the family business, said his father was in a very optimistic frame of mind.

“He has always been very positive and determined – that’s just his character. Even on the roadside when the accident happened he stayed very calm and kept making jokes.

“If anyone is going to fully recover then it’s him – he is definitely not a quitter.”

Dave Rogers of South Western Ambulance Service said: “It is always pleasing when members of the public, whom we serve, recognise the care and professionalism demonstrated by the trust’s crews.

“South Western Ambulance Service would like to pass on its best wishes to Mr Bower.”