'It's nice to be back home' - Shropshire butcher thankful after horror motorbike smash
After a heart attack, breaking every rib apart from one, and a spinal injury, a Shropshire butcher is finally settling in at home.
Simon Gibbons, from Broseley, has been in hospital since his serious motorbike accident at Darley Moor racing track in Derbyshire on April 3.
The 52-year-old was initially taken to a major trauma hospital but was later moved to Oswestry Hospital for ongoing treatment.
Last week Mr Gibbons returned home, a big step forward in his long road to recovery.
He today spoke of his relief to be home and revealed he has been forced to sell his Broseley business, Simon Gibbons Butchers, because of his injuries.
The butcher, who said he can't remember being in intensive care in a Nottingham hospital, said: "It's nice to be back at home.
"I couldn't have done it without the help, I've had really good help.
"I was nervous when they said I was going home."
Mr Gibbons was resuscitated at the track before being taken to hospital at Derby and then Nottingham's Queen's Medical Centre.
He faces many challenges with his mobility and spent many weeks having rehabilitation at Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital in Oswestry.
After 25 years running Simon Gibbons Butchers, Mr Gibbons has now had to sell the business but is happy that his staff have been kept on.
He said: "All the employees are keeping their jobs, which is good.
"It would've been on my mind if something wasn't done properly.
"I haven't been up the street yet – I think it will upset me, but I will do at some point."
'There was only one rib not broken'
Mr Gibbons' wife, Paula, 51 said: "Simon had a heart attack when they got to him at the track, but they don't know whether it was the cause of the accident or on impact.
"The medic at Darley Moor resuscitated him and he went from there to Derby hospital.
"He was there for six hours then transferred to Nottingham where he was in intensive care for a couple of weeks. From intensive care he went to critical care then from there it was to Oswestry for rehabilitation.
"It was quite difficult for everybody."
Mrs Gibbons said there was only one rib that Mr Gibbons hadn't broken.
The community pulled together to raise funds for Mr and Mrs Gibbons, raising more than £5,000 through fundraising, which was matched by The Lady Forrester Trust.
The money will be used to adapt the house to make it easier for Mr Gibbons, including coverting a downstairs room into a wet room.
Mrs Gibbons said she could not believe the amount that the community had raised through events and activities. She said: "Children completed a bike ride and took it up on themselves – everyone has been amazing.
"That's one thing about Broseley, everyone rallies around when something quite bad happens."
