Cyclist airlifted to Dorset County Hospital with serious head injuries (From Thisisdorset)

Cyclist airlifted to Dorset County Hospital with serious head injuries

11:00am Monday 18th February 2013 in News By Rachel Stretton

A CYCLIST was airlifted to hospital after suffering serious head injuries.

Paramedics and coastguards were scrambled when the man, a 41-year-old Portland resident, came off his bicycle around the Grove area of Easton.

He was airlifted to Dorset County Hospital in Dorchester by the Lee-on-Solent Coastguard Helicopter after the accident at 6.28pm on Friday.

Portland Bill coastguard rescue officers also assisted South West Ambulance in the airlift, and Wyke coastguard rescue officers met the helicopter at the hospital.

It is understood the cyclist was unconscious for a time after the fall, and suffered a number of injuries, including a serious head injury.

He was winched to the helicopter by coastguards before being transferred to hospital.

A spokesman for Portland Coastguard said: "We responded to a direct request from South West Ambulance for assistance in transferring the casualty to hospital.

"The head injury was the greatest concern, and the helicopter was scrambled because it was important to get him from the place of the accident to hospital where he could receive medical care."

The incident happened around the entrance to the football ground near Longacre Quarry.

The Lee-on-Solent Coastguard Rescue Helicopter, rather than the Portland Coastguard Helicopter, was used as a matter of availability but Portland Coastguards co-ordinated the rescue.

Weymouth and Portland Borough Councillor Margaret Leicester, who represents the Tophill East ward, said: “It’s always quite frightening when you hear about these accidents, and it could be minor or it could be something quite serious.

“Hopefully this man is not too badly injured and he will soon be discharged and able to get on with his life.”

Coun Leicester added: “It is nice to know that a helicopter was available, even if it was not the one from Portland, and able to get here and take care of the rescue of this person.”