Bradford fireman vows to scuba dive again after horrific mountain bike crash
A Bradford man being treated for severe spinal injuries after a terrible mountain bike accident has vowed to be back underwater with his British Sub-Aqua Club within a year.
Peter Lau, from Queensbury, was nearly killed when his mountain bike collided with a car in April this year.
He recounted: “We were out in Wensleydale and I came down this downhill section at about 30 miles an hour and went through a gate and skidded into a car coming the opposite way. My back took most of the impact and my rucksack, we think, caught in the wheel pulling me under it.”
Fully-trained in first aid, Peter knew his injuries were severe immediately and believes his scuba diving training was fundamental in saving his life.
He said: “I knew it was bad and I had punctured both lungs so it was hard to breathe.
“When you do dive training you learn how to take ‘sip breaths’ that have less impact on the lungs so I did that and I really think that knowing that, remembering something I’d learnt in 1990, is what sustained me until the Air Ambulance could get there.”
Peter had broken 11 ribs, fractured his scapula and suffered serious spinal damage. He was also left in a coma for almost a month.
Wheelchair-bound and paralysed from the chest down, Peter currently works as an assistant district commander for West Yorkshire’s Fire and Rescue Service.
He is determined to get back into scuba diving before the anniversary of his accident.
He said: “It is my main passion. It’s just brilliant and it takes you all round the world. I’m a qualified instructor with BSAC so I’ve made sure my wife can dive too, and the kids.
“But I was doing less of it during the winter so took up mountain biking to keep my fitness up. I’ve been a firefighter for 24 years so you do have to maintain a certain fitness level.”
Mary Tetley, chief executive of BSAC, said: “We wish Peter all the very best with his recovery and feel sure his brilliant, positive attitude will help him reach his goal of getting back to his much-loved scuba diving.”
