A cyclist claims poor maintenance of a cattle grid caused him to catapult from his bike and suffer horrendous injuries.

Peter Edmundson, of Lothersdale, near Skipton , counts himself lucky to be alive after the crash on the Carleton to Colne Road near Elslack Moor as he was riding his usual route.

The 57-year-old was flung from his bike when the front wheel got jammed in a gap which ran the width of the grid.

A North Yorkshire County Council spokesman said: “We are currently investigating the condition of the cattle grid on Elslack Moor.”