Bolton Mountain Rescue to receive split of charity bike ride

Peter Jones, a 38-year-old Product Owner for a software firm, was out riding the trails in Rivington in July last year when he misread the line of a descent and plummeted around 12ft off a cliff – landing on his head, neck and back.

His fellow riders ran to his aid and very quickly knew something was wrong.

They called the North West Ambulance Service who, upon assessing the scene, enlisted the help of Bolton Mountain Rescue Team who helped expertly move Peter as safely as possible to the Ambulance that was parked around 200m away.

Peter Jones

After his admission to Salford Royal Hospital, it was confirmed that Peter had a burst fracture in his T6 Vertebrae – luckily avoiding any further damage to his spinal column.

While in the hospital, however, Peter’s lung then collapsed as a result of a chest infection, leading him to spend two days in ICU.

After a successful surgery on his back, Peter ultimately recovered and left the hospital 10 days after his accident.

He was back on his bike just five months later, albeit riding somewhat more cautiously, and has now decided to raise money for the three parties who coordinated to save him by doing a charity ride.

He and 16 other riders will descend the combined heights of the planet’s three tallest mountains - Everest, K2 and Kangchenjunga.

He said: “Mountain bikers talk about it all the time – the services we might need so that we can do what we love.

Bolton Mountain Rescue Team on the scene of Peters accident

“This is the second time I’ve needed mountain rescue and it really brought it home. They’re volunteers who give up their own time. Some of them give up time with their families.

“They’re unsung heroes. We wouldn’t be able to do it without them.”

A family man himself, Peter is thankful that BMRT and the other organisations were able to give back the ability to get out on his bike – something he says helps him deal with the rigours of everyday life.

“It feels absolutely fantastic to be back on the bike. It keeps me sane and it’s really good to have that again.”

An X-Ray of Peter's spine after a successful surgery place pins to stabilize it

Peter’s and his pals, inspired by the concept of "Everesting", will descend around 85,000ft of Antur Stiniog Downhill Mountain Bike trails in North Wales, equating to approximately eight runs.

His target is to raise £1,000 which will be evenly split between Bolton Mountain Rescue Team, North West Ambulance Service and Salford Royal Hospital.

If you’d like to donate to Peter’s cause, you can do so here.