As Matthew Russell lay comatose after falling through a roof, the Maidstone father still remembers what he shouted when he hit the ground: "Call an ambulance, I've punctured my lung."

The 48-year-old says adrenaline had him momentarily standing after falling 15 feet and hitting scaffolding on the way down, but it soon wore off.

He said: “I was working with a friend on his roof, I remember falling through and hitting scaffolding.

“As soon as I hit the ground I was back up on my feet, I still don’t know how I knew I’d punctured my lung but there was blood coming from my mouth.

“I can remember passing out, seeing a bright light and that’s it.”

The fall had broken eight ribs and, just as the keen cyclist proclaimed, punctured his left lung.

Kent’s air ambulance was called and minutes later he was put into an induced coma at the side of the road.

It was September 2015 and it took 12 days before doctors attempted to bring Mr Russell back round from his coma.

The plumber continued: “The next thing I knew I was in the hospital, begging someone to take a tube out of my mouth.

“I looked around and there were tubes all around, feeding me and doing my breathing.

“Those days after I woke up, they were extremely emotional and scary.

"I’d say it was the hardest, most emotional time of my life and I’m 48.

"My wife had been by my bedside throughout, but when I woke up I didn’t recognise her" - Matthew Russell

“My wife had been by my bedside throughout, but when I woke up I didn’t recognise her.

“At first the doctors couldn’t figure out what was wrong, they were worried I’d hit my head.

“They gave me a tablet and I managed to write out my name, so at least I remembered that.

“It turned out I’d developed a water infection and another infection as I came around.”

Doctors told him his fitness had kept him alive.

He added: “I’ve always taken care of myself, they said if I had been a smoker or had been less fit, my odds of surviving could have been a lot lower.”

He began to eat and drink independently, a moment he will never forget.

He said: “I can remember them giving me water for the first time and then a bit of strawberry yoghurt.

“It sounds silly, but I’ll never forget the taste, it was absolute bliss.”

His recovery continued and Mr Russell was able to leave hospital in October, two months later he was missing his bike.

But just as he began getting on his bike, he ended up back in hospital in March 2016 as his body couldn’t cope.

After leaving hospital he steadily persisted with training and completed a 20-mile ride in Cyprus in June 2016.

That same month he returned to work. More than two and a half years since his fall, Mr Russell has completed a gruelling trek from Maidstone to Barcelona with friend, 50-year-old Richard Ansell from Eccles.

The father-of-three said it was something they were building up to doing before the accident.

“Me and Richard go to The Village gym in Forstal Road, we decided to set off from there.

“Richard has been an absolute credit to himself, since the accident we’ve got closer as friends and I 100% couldn’t have done it without him, he’s a diamond.”

With two more friends following in a support car, the group were waved off from The Village by a crowd of friends and family.

From there they were joined by friends and fellow cyclists on a journey down to Portsmouth, before the main team crossed to mainland Europe.

The duo’s ride is for Kent, Surrey and Sussex Air Ambulance Trust, which came to Mr Russell’s rescue.

They have cycled more than 900 miles, averaging 100 miles a day on their way to north east Spain, arriving in Barcelona on Sunday, June 17.

“I’m extremely lucky, I’m nowhere near where as fit I was before the accident, but I can walk, I can talk and I can ride.

“I’ve been taking painkillers, but the way I see it, 10 days of pain for the air ambulance is worth it.”

The pair have raised more than £4,500 thanks to friends and family, nearing their target of £5,000 at tinyurl.com/maidstone2barcelona