A CYCLIST from the district who survived serious injuries after a head-on crash with a 4x4 vehicle will be back out on the roads with a special message ahead of the Tour de Yorkshire.

Nick Turnbull, 54, of Burley-in-Wharfedale, suffered a punctured lung and broke his shoulder blade, wrist and nine ribs in the crash on a country road near Bolton Abbey in January last year.

The former policeman and scout leader is urging fellow cyclists to download a first aid mobile app from charity St John Ambulance, as he prepares to join other Burley cyclists on the route of the Tour de Yorkshire in The Maserati Tour de Yorkshire Ride on Sunday.

Mr Turnbull has made a remarkable recovery from the accident at the beginning of last year.

He was riding around a bend on a country road near Bolton Abbey, when he saw the car and was unable to brake in time.

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Luckily the passenger in the car was a member of a fell rescue team and a trained first aider.

When Mr Turnbull - unaware of the extent of his injuries - began to get up, the first aider insisted he did not move. He covered Mr Turnbull with blankets to protect him from the cold and continued to check his condition until the ambulance arrived 40 minutes later.

Mr Turnbull believes it was the man's knowledge of first aid and his subsequent actions that prevented a life-threatening situation from developing.

He said: "As soon as he said, 'I'm a first aider', it put my mind at ease. I thought, at least somebody here knows what to do.

"I was getting up, but he said 'No, you've got to stay down.' I was getting very cold but given that I had a punctured lung and broken ribs, the situation could quickly have been become much more serious.

"I'd advise all cyclists to download the St John Ambulance First Aid for Cyclists app. It's simple to use and you never know when you might be faced with a situation like mine."

The free app was introduced last year by St John Ambulance in response to the growing popularity of cycling, as well as a reported rise in the number of accidents.

Last year, Department of Transport figures showed that in Yorkshire and the Humber, reported casualties from cycling accidents rose 27 per cent between 2010 and 2013.

Research by St John Ambulance also found cyclists were nine times more likely to stop and help a fellow cyclist than other road users.

Mr Turnbull and the Burley Bike Club members plan to use the Tour de Yorkshire and future high profile rides to raise money for St John Ambulance. To donate, visit justgiving.com/Nick-Turnbull5. For more information about first aid visit sja.org.uk.