hrobinson@thekmgroup.co.uk

A 12-year-old boy screamed in agony after becoming impaled on the handlebars of his bike.

Bradley Cannell was cycling along Kenilworth Court in Sittingbourne when he fell from his mountain bike as he tried to mount the kerb.

As the cycle crashed down on top of him, the handle embedded itself in the top of his right thigh, forcing him to scream out.

Ron Fox, 70, who was looking out of the window of his home when the accident happened, rushed to the Westlands School pupil's rescue and held his leg up while a neighbour dialled 999.

Within minutes, an ambulance was at the scene along with firefighters, the Kent Air Ambulance and police, who sealed off the road.

His shocked mum, Michele East, has told of the moment she received the call telling her of the unfolding drama.

The 33-year-old was at work when she was called and told Bradley had been involved in the freak accident.

The mum of three, who works as an administrator for Hydrex Equipment on the Eurolink Business Park in Sittingbourne.

She said: "My colleague Andy Green drove me up there and on the way I was ringing Bradley's mobile.

"The fire brigade turned up just as I arrived and the police and ambulance were already there.

"I was very calm because he was calm, he was laughing and joking.

"It took over an hour for the brigade to cut the bike away from him.

"Then they took him in the land ambulance to the air ambulance which had landed in Sonora Fields.

"They took him to the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel, but I couldn't go with him so I drove up on my own in rush-hour traffic.

"I got there about 7.30pm and he'd gone down to theatre at 7.20pm. He wasn't out until 11.30pm.

"When they showed us the X-ray it [the handlebar] had gone down under the thigh muscle, hit the vein and cut it.

"If they'd tried to pull it out at the scene it would have been a different story.

"He was up and walking on Wednesday morning and they have said he should be home this weekend.

"It's all a bit surreal. He's a very lucky boy.

"I'd just like to say a big thank you to everyone who helped Bradley."

Ron Fox rushed to Bradley's aid after he saw the accident happen.

He said: "It was a chance in a million that I was looking out of the window.

"He was screaming and I thought he'd broken his leg. I've done a bit of first aid so I ran out there to get to him before anyone else did.

"He was a very brave little boy. All he wanted was the bike off him but we couldn't do that."