A MOTORCYCLIST'S leg was torn off in an horrific accident in Bolton.

Gavin Thomas's right leg was amputated and he suffered serious chest injuries when he was hurled from his Honda 400cc bike in Higher Bridge Street, last night.

Today 25-year-old Mr Thomas, of Temple Road, Smithills, was detained in Bolton Royal Infirmary.

A spokesman described his condition as "serious".

Police today appealed for witnesses to the accident which happened at 9pm last night near the junction with Prince Street.

Mr Thomas was riding his machine along Higher Bridge Street when he was involved in the accident with a Suzuki Swift saloon.

Police and ambulance paramedics were at the scene within minutes and Mr Thomas was treated in the road before being taken to hospital. The driver of the car, 19-year-old Kelly Anne Diggle, of Church Road, Bolton, suffered shock.

Police sealed off part of Higher Bridge Street for up to three hours after the accident.

Gavin is as a welder at Plastic Ventilation Supplies, a refrigeration company in Deane Road.

His sister Anne works as a nurse in the casualty department at Bolton Royal Infirmary but she was not on duty at the time of the accident.

Gavin's father Keith said the circumstances of the crash were still unclear.

"All we know is that Gavin was involved in an accident," he said.

"He was conscious at the hospital last night where where my wife and I stayed with him until 1am.

"He didn't tell us what happened, just how he was feeling. He was traumatised and in shock. He has a lot of friends and it will be a shock for them too.

"Gavin is very interested in motorbikes and had has only just finished doing the machine up after 12 months' work."

He had gone out to post letters for his mother Mollie when the accident happened.

She said: "Somebody telephoned us last night to tell us what had happened.

"We don't know who phoned but we would like to thank them because they were very calm, but we are still in a daze at the moment."

Mr Thomas said he expected to speak with police again in the next couple of days and added: "We think somebody must have phoned from the pub because there are no houses in the area."

Anyone who saw the crash is asked to contact Bolton police traffic unit, tel: Bolton 522466.

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