A FATHER who cheated death after breaking his neck in three places when a jump during a mountain biking trip with his sons went wrong, is searching for the Good Samaritan who went above and beyond to help him in his hour of need.

Experienced cyclist Michael Brown was with his sons Cassian, 14, and Bayley, 13, enjoying a day exploring West Woods near Marlborough on their bikes, when he landed on his head and was knocked unconscious after attempting a gap jump.

All the 52-year-old IT worker can remember of the afternoon on March 12 is being in agony, after suffering a severe fracture on his neck, which could have paralysed or killed him.

But after spending a month at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford in their trauma unit, being cared for by the specialist spinal team, he is back at home recovering in Aldbourne.

However, Michael admits he was lucky and the outcome could have been very different if it wasn’t for a man he believes is called Mike and works as a plumber in Swindon.

The man, who had also been out mountain biking, stayed with him for hours, called the emergency services and took care of his sons while he was rushed to hospital. Michael now wants to meet him again to say thank you.

“Without his help things could have been a lot harder and a very different,” he said.

“I don’t know what happened but things went wrong and I landed on my head downwards and the bike come over me and my head was bent.

“I was unconscious for a while and I came around and I was in a lot of pain. This chap raised the alarm and was with me the whole time.

“You can never get signal out there, so he quickly went to the nearest farm and called emergency services and was liaising with them how to get there because it was right out of the way.

“The air ambulance landed but it was too far away, so I was hand-stretchered to the road and taken by a Land Rover to the ambulance.

“He stayed with me all this time and helped get the ambulance to me and brought my two sons to my house in Aldbourne and then took them to see me at hospital when I was in A&E at GWH gone 9pm.”

Michael says the man called Mike is around 5ft 8 and of stocky build. He looked to be in his 20s or 30s and was riding a distinctive, very old-looking bicycle. Michael also thinks he may have mentioned his partner was expecting a baby.

He added: “I want to meet him and thank him and talk to him, as I don’t really know what happened.

“My boys also said he was blaming himself because he had been speaking to us earlier about the jump, so I want to say in no way is that true and he should not feel guilty.

“The mountain biking community is kind like this, as it is a very friendly sport and people always stop and help someone if they are in a sticky situation so it is not surprising, but he did a lot more than he could have done and stayed with me and my sons for a very long time.”

If you know who Mike is, or if you are Mike, please call the newdesk on 01793 501800 and we will pass your details to Michael.