A FATHER told today how he thought his eight-year-old son might die after his throat was cut by a fishing line.

Jet-skier Paul Eady said son Stuart screamed in horror as blood starting trickling down his neck.

The pair had been using a jet-ski at Bowleaze Cove, Weymouth, when the horrific incident happened.

Mr Eady, 49, said he looked toward the shore to see an angler run from away from the pier with his fishing equipment.

He said: "Stuart and I were on a jet-ski about 50 yards off the pier when suddenly Stuart started screaming so I stopped the jet-ski.

"A fishing line had appeared from nowhere and cut his throat and he was bleeding.

"I felt the line on my face then I heard something snap so the line must have broken. I didn't realise it was there and I didn't see anyone cast off.

"I noticed a fisherman packing up his things on the pier and disappear pretty sharpish. I couldn't believe it. I was going to tackle him but the tide was in and it was quite rough near the shore so I couldn't make it in quickly enough."

Garage owner Mr Eady, who lives at Culliford Way, Littlemoor, with wife Linda, 39, Bincombe Valley School pupil Stuart, and five-year-old daughter Chloe, took his son to the town's minor injuries unit but doctors said there had been no serious injury although the line had left a mark across his neck.

He added: "We were only going about 20mph but if we were going any faster it could have been a lot worse and my son could be dead. Anglers are allowed at Bowleaze but there were several jet-skiers in the water at the time so I can't believe there were any fish about because the jet-skis were churning up the water."

Swimmer Jonathan Pullen told the Echo on Wednesday he had spotted jet-skiers away from a designated ski area speeding through the water close to the beach over the bank holiday weekend and called for the council to introduce new measures to curb jet-ski 'cowboys.'

But Mr Eady, a member of Weymouth Jet-Ski Club, claims it is only a reckless minority who are causing problems on Weymouth beach and says many jet-skiers obey the rules and keep to designated areas.

He said: "Jet-skiers get a bad press and I think that's sad. There are a few people who act irresponsibly and they tend to come from outside the area.

"Club members stick to the rules and would not put swimmers' lives at risk. It's time someone defended jet-skiers because we're always being criticised."