Black Country cyclist put in intensive care after collision with runner
A cyclist from the Black Country suffered paralysed vocal cords and neck injuries after he collided with a jogger who ran away from the scene.
Colin Bradburn, who lives in Bloxwich, had been travelling along the canal at Forest Lane on July 26 on his way to visit a friend.
But he was forced to swerve on the route – near to the bridge known locally as "Curly Wurly" – when a runner came towards him from around the corner.
The runner, described as being in his 40s, ended up in front of the bike and hit Mr Bradburn in the chin, causing him vocal injuries.
It left him covered in blood, feeling unable to breath and with paralysed vocal cords – but the jogger ran off.
Now he is hoping the anonymous runner comes forward to apologise and realises the "awful state" he had been left in.
The 49-year-old said: "It was on a Sunday afternoon, about 3pm or 4pm, and I was going down the canal on my bike.
"As I was turning round a bend I saw a guy running the other way. So I swerved to the left – as you should do – and the guy jumped across.
"His head hit the bottom of my chin and my chin was gushing with blood, my whole face was covered. All he did was shout 'watch where you're going'.
"I said I couldn't breathe and he just left me. He ran off and I managed to get on my bike and called a friend who called an ambulance for me."
Mr Bradburn was taken to Walsall Manor Hospital with multiple fractures to his larynx and paralysed vocal cords.
He spent two days in intensive care before spending a further day on the ward to recover. And he is set to return shortly for doctors to check the progress of his recovery through a camera.
Mr Bradburn, who works as a delivery driver for Car Spares in Walsall, has been off work since, earning only statutory sick pay.
Mr Bradburn, who is originally from Great Barr, said: "People have said to me about going along the canal, finding him, and taking some kind of revenge. I don't want that to happen but he shouldn't not have left me in that condition.
"My face was covered in blood and I couldn't breathe. I'm hoping he realises what state he left me in and comes forward to apologise.
"I'm off work at the minute and the payments don't really cover my rent – I live on my own and I've still got bills coming in. My voice is fine on some days, but other days it's hard and I'm struggling.
"I want him to be made aware of what he did. He shouldn't have run off – I told him I couldn't breathe and he just left.
"The medics said in the history of their work they had never seen anyone who had fractured their voice box like this."
