By Hayley Robinson

This dramatic X-ray shows the handlebars of a bike embedded in the top of Bradley Cannell’s right thigh following a freak accident.

The Sittingbourne Messenger exclusively revealed last week how the 12-year-old Westlands School pupil was trying to mount a kerb in Kenilworth Court, Sittingbourne, when he fell from his mountain bike. As the bike crashed down on top of him the handlebar pierced his skin forcing him to scream out in agony.

Firefighters spent an hour cutting the bike away from him. Then, with the handlebar still inside his leg he was flown by Kent Air Ambulance to the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel where he underwent a four hour operation to remove it.

Remarkably he was up and walking the following day and on Saturday (July 10) - just four days after the accident, Bradley was allowed to return to his home in Howard Avenue, Sittingbourne.

Bradley said: "When the paramedics told me the handlebar was in my leg I wasn’t really aware of what was going on as I was taking some gas. So when my mum told me everything I was shocked.

"Now I can’t even look at a bike."

For the full interview see this weeks Sittingbourne Messenger.