Father Left Paralysed After His Neck Snapped as He Rode an 80-Year-old Roller Coaster

A father is being kept alive on a life support machine after a freak accident on a theme park ride left him paralysed.

Robert Sycamore, 58, broke his neck while riding on the Grand National at Blackpool Pleasure Beach.

It was his great-nephew's first ride of the day when Harry Parlour, 13, came back screaming.

Mr Sycamore was found in the bottom of the carriage with his neck broken.

Darren Parlour, Mr Sycamore's nephew, said: 'My son was with him and he's come back screaming.

'Rob's a big bloke and he was down in the footwell of the carriage.

'His ear was on his shoulder and he was totally blue and black.

'His neck snapped - the muscles collapsed and he's just melted into the seat.

'I climbed in with Rob and was holding his head so it didn't move.

'The emergency services were unbelievable - how he stayed alive, I dont know.'

The JCB driver is currently on a life support machine to keep his heart and lungs functioning and doctors have told the family he will not be able to use his body.

Mr Parlour added: 'The surgeon said they can only take things minute by minute but any use of his body is a definite no.

'The main concern now is keeping his heart and lungs going.

'We dont know how it happened or why it happened. We don't blame anyone, we are just shocked.

'We don't know if he hit his head - only time will tell.'

Mr Sycamore is understood to suffer from spondylitis, inflammation of the vertebrae in the back, but emergency services were unable to confirm if this played a part in his injury. 

The ride is 62ft high and rides last just under two-and-a-half minutes. 

In May 2004 it was badly damaged by a fire along with two other rides at Blackpool Pleasure Beach. It was repaired and returned back to service in October that year.

Source: Dailymail.co.uk