Ian may never walk properly again after Segway accident

A company director fears he may never walk properly again after suffering serious leg injuries in an accident on a Segway scooter during a 50th birthday trip to Florida.

Ian Parkes said today the injuries are costing him £30,000 a year because he is having to employ two more people to carry out jobs that he used to do for his company, Countrywide Heating, of Oak Street, Quarry Bank.

His lawyer says more should be done to warn holidaymakers and users of the potential dangers of riding the two-wheeled vehicles - just a few weeks after the death of the British owner of the New Hampshire company that makes Segways.

Mr Parkes had been treated to a week-long holiday in Florida in January by his wife, Helen - but spent most of it in hospital after breaking the tibia and fibula bones of his right leg, and his ankle.

He was five minutes into the guided tour, led by an instructor on a Segway from Z E Tours, through the town of Celebration, near Orlando, when he lost control of the machine.

Mr Parkes, of Simeons Walk, Quarry Bank, said: "I've had to go through months of physio to try and sort out the continuing problems with my ankle and leg but improvements have been minimal and I still walk with a limp and struggle to walk for any length of time without suffering extreme pain.

"I am livid I wasn't given basic advice that could easily have prevented my accident."

Solicitor Joseph Dawson, a travel law expert at Irwin Mitchell, is investigating the circumstances with a view to claiming compensation for Mr Parkes in the Florida courts.

Dale McGowan, owner of Z E Tours, disputed Mr Parkes's version of events.

Speaking from Florida, he said he was guiding the Segway by hand along the edges of a gutter system.

"I was trying to hold the steering column but he panicked and pulled to the left," he added.