Helmet saves Sheffield dad after horror bike crash

A Sheffield dad is lucky to be alive after crashing his bicycle on slippery tram tracks - but was saved by wearing a helmet.
Terry Orwin is lucky to be alive after horror bicycle crash on Sheffield tram tracks.Terry Orwin is lucky to be alive after horror bicycle crash on Sheffield tram tracks.
Terry Orwin is lucky to be alive after horror bicycle crash on Sheffield tram tracks.

Terry Orwin, aged 57, was left with a bleed to the brain, broken nose and severe cuts and bruises after the horror crash bicycle in Hillsborough earlier this month.

But luckily the dad-of-three was wearing a helmet, otherwise the impact of the crash could have killed him.

Terry OrwinTerry Orwin
Terry Orwin
Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Terry, who is a teacher at Wales High School, was cycling Langsett Road at around 5.15pm when he crossed tracks at a tram stop and lost control of his bike.

He said: "My head hit the ground with such force it knocked my out immediately. The next thing I remember was waking up in hospital hours later, not knowing what had happened.

"If I hadn't been wearing a helmet I would be in a right state now, I could be dead. Doctors said it was really lucky I was wearing a helmet."

Terry, who has been a cyclist for 26 years, was found to have a bleed on the brain, broken nose and required stitching for many of his injuries.

Terry OrwinTerry Orwin
Terry Orwin
Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He said: "I'm still black and blue and have blurred vision occasionally, but it could have been a lot worse."

Terry said he won't let the incident put him off the sport either. He said: "I'll be back on the bike as soon as I'm recovered my bicycle is mended. It's such good exercise."

Campaign group CycleSheffield say they have received 365 tram track accident reports since January 2015, 91 per cent of which resulted in injuries.

"Many of these injuries are very serious and require hospital treatment. More than 20 per cent of the accidents have caused broken bones.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"The tram tracks are the biggest hazard to cyclists in Sheffield and act as barrier to getting more people to make their journeys by bike. CycleSheffield believe that many accidents go unreported so the problem is worse than the figures suggest.

"We have been waiting for Sheffield Council to do something about the problem for over 20 years.

"On the same weekend that Terry was seriously injured we received five other accident reports."

Hide Ad
Hide Ad