Appeal as cyclist in fall left paralysed

A keen Black Country sportsman has been left paralysed after a mystery fall from his bike on a country road, his heartbroken family revealed today.

Ian Rhodes from Elmwood Road, Wordsley, was left fighting for his life when he came off his bike while riding by Ashwood Marina near Kingswinford.

He suffered a severed spinal cord as well as a broken neck and collar bone and will be in hospital for the next eight months after being injured at about 9pm on September 9.

He was found lying in the road at Ashwood Lower Lane by two workers at nearby Ashwood nurseries and a passerby.

What happened to Mr Rhodes, aged 56, is still a mystery and now his family hope a public appeal will lead to vital clues and are asking witnesses to call police on 03001234455.

His sister Patricia Gall, aged 54, from Bridgnorth, said Mr Rhodes who worked in sales, was a fitness fanatic and mad about cycling.

On the night tragedy struck he was returning home from a 20-mile cycle ride which took him along the Mile Flat in Wall Heath, through Trysull and up Springhill Bank in Lower Penn.

He was also a member of Finchfield Hockey Club in Wolverhampton where he played since the age of 15 and enjoyed rambles and rock climbing.

Mrs Gall, who runs The Brasserie restaurant in Bridgnorth, said: "Fitness has been a big part of Ian's life.

"It is heartbreaking to see him lying in hospital and knowing he will never walk or do any of the sports he loved again.

"It has taken his life away. He understands the severity of his injuries and has been very brave.

"This is a living nightmare for us all and not knowing exactly what happened to Ian is making it worse."

Mr Rhodes, who worked at Cusack in Wolverhampton, has a partner of nine years, Maureen Bates, and has a close bond with her grandson Jack aged seven, who he would regularly take swimming.

Mr Rhodes is being treated at Dudley's Russells Hall Hospital but will be moved shortly to a specialist spinal unit in Oswestry.