Posted: 20/03/09
A SPEEDWAY star is back home after a near-fatal accident – and determined to get back to racing as soon as possible.
Adam Roynon has made miraculous progress since suffering life-threatening head injuries in a crash just two weeks ago.
The Barrow-born rider suffered a blood clot to his brain and a broken C2 bone in his neck after the accident at King’s Lynn on March 6.
The 20-year-old, who was on loan to Workington Comets from Coventry Bees, had been practising with the Great Britain team at the Norfolk Arena.
But going into a corner at 60mph, a spindle came off the front wheel of the Jawa 500 machine, hurling him to the cinder track at 60mph.
Mr Roynon said he can remember nothing about the accident or the days which followed in the critical care unit at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge.
Speaking from the living room at his Dalton home, the former Dowdales pupil admitted he was impatient to resume his professional career.
He said: “I now want to get back on my bike as soon as I can after the ‘halo’ comes off.
“It has probably helped that I haven’t felt any pain at all. I remember going to the track to practice and the next thing was being in the ward at hospital.
“My mam said that at one point I had come round in high dependency and said ‘can I still ride my bike?’ but I can’t remember this.”
The accident was witnessed by his father, Chris, who along with his wife kept a round-the-clock vigil at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge. The parents had initially been told to expect the worst.
But this week they were allowed to bring their son home when he passed a ‘coherency’ test after the blood clot had dispersed.
He will still have toreport to Preston Royal Infirmary for fortnightly checks on the ‘halo’ neck brace and have a brain scan in six weeks.
Mrs Roynon said she was used to her son breaking arms and wrists in spills, but knew straight away this was different.
She said: “Chris rang me and said Adam had had an accident but was very vague. Then he rang back and said it was head injuries, be prepared for the worst.
“I was in a panic and am very grateful to Adam’s friends, Johnny and Matthew Wren, for driving me straight down to the hospital.
“People are amazed Adam has been able to come home so quickly and hopefully this will inspire people in a similar position not to give up hope.
“We realise how lucky Adam is after what happened to Natasha Richardson this week.”
Mrs Roynon paid tribute to all the doctors and hospital staff, and thanked the hundreds of well-wishers who have sent cards and left messages.
Mr Roynon – himself a former speedway rider – said Adam had done the kind of ‘collarbone flip’ that riders can emerge unscathed from.
He said: “When I was following the ambulance, the awful thought was going through my mind that we might have to make a serious decision about Adam.
“I think the fact that he was young, fit and healthy has helped his progress. He was also wearing a top of the range helmet which was important.
“I haven’t got a problem with Adam riding again. If anything, he was fortunate having the accident doing a sport he enjoys.”
From www.nwemail.co.uk
