Rider left brain damaged and partially blind after motorcycle crash gets back on his bike

A former Creswell man who was left brain damaged and partially sighted a speedway motorbike accident has now gotten back on a bike.
Nigel was all smiles after his rideNigel was all smiles after his ride
Nigel was all smiles after his ride

Nigel Limb, 53, was racing on Mablethorpe beach back in December 2015 when he crashed and ended up in a coma.

Nigel said: “The paramedics came over to me and took my helmet off and I was awake. But I started to fit and they knew something was wrong.

“The air ambulance came and took me to hospital where I fell into a coma.”

After an MRI it was revealed that Nigel had severe brain damage and would most likely die from his injuries within the next few days.

Nigel said: “They told my wife to call my parents who still live in Creswell to come and say their goodbyes.

“And then I woke up.”

Nigel came home from hospital in January 2016 and had to adjust to his new way of life after being left nearly blind.

And now nearly three years since his accident, Nigel has found the courage to get back onto a speedway bike.

He said: “I was always being offered a ride on a motorbike but I couldn’t do it. My confidence had gone.

“But then my friend invited me to the Scunthorpe Speedway. I asked Julie what she thought and she said ‘go for it.’ But if she had hestitated I wouldn’t have done it.

“So plans were put in place for me to ride a speedway bike around Scunthorpe Speedway.

“I got on the bike in the pits and I thought to myself ‘what are you doing here?’

“A speedway bike has no brakes, one gear and they are an animal to ride.

“When I sat on the bike I didn’t know what was going to happen.

“I didn’t know if I was going to stall it or go into the fence.

“And after about five yards it was like I had never been off it.

“I did six laps and it was brilliant. I got a standing ovation when I had finished.

“I am now hoping to put plans in place to go back and race on the beach where I had my accident which will be a really big thing for me.

“There are a lot more things I want to do.”