Man left paralysed after being flung from mechanical bull in birthday holiday horror

A South Shields man has relived the horrific holiday accident which left him paralysed and without the use of his left arm.

Bruce Ford twice had to be resuscitated after he was injured on a lads’ weekend in Portugal last year to celebrate his birthday.

Bruce, who now lives in Scotland, has spent months undergoing rehabilitation in hospital and is looking forward to being released next month.

Bruce Ford with fiancee Louise NichollsBruce Ford with fiancee Louise Nicholls
Bruce Ford with fiancee Louise Nicholls
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And a group of his friends are setting out to raise money to help the devoted Sunderland fan and fiancee Louise Nicholls by cycling the 160 miles from the couple’s home town of Airdrie in Scotland to the Stadium of Light before the Black Cat’s home game with Bournemouth on April 29.

“I was in Portugal for a weekend away with my friends to celebrate my 49th birthday,” said Bruce.

“We went out on the Friday night, had a meal and a few drinks and then had a wander up the Strip. We sat outside a pub which had a mechanical bull ride in the middle of an inflated mattress.

“I was helped onto the bull by the bouncers and they then turned it on and I was promptly thrown off it. I landed on my neck and was knocked out.

Bruce Ford with some of the friends whol will be taking part in next month's sponsored bike rideBruce Ford with some of the friends whol will be taking part in next month's sponsored bike ride
Bruce Ford with some of the friends whol will be taking part in next month's sponsored bike ride
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“The bouncers picked me up and sat me at a table, I fell from the table and ‘face-planted’ - at this point my friends realised that this was serious and got involved.

“An ambulance arrived and I was taken to the local hospital.

“X-rays showed that I had broken my neck at C4 and C5. The neurosurgeon operated on me and inserted a metal fixation which prevented any further damage.”

Bruce, who has a 14-year-old son Jamie, had to fight for his life: “I was put on a ventilator as I couldn’t breathe for myself and had to be resuscitated twice,” he said.

Bruce Ford with fiancee Louise NichollsBruce Ford with fiancee Louise Nicholls
Bruce Ford with fiancee Louise Nicholls
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“Louise flew over and was with me for the next two weeks as we argued with our insurers before they flew me back to the UK.

“I was in the High Dependency ward of the Spinal Unit of Glasgow Queen Elizabeth University Hospital for the first two weeks until I was stable enough to move into the rehabilitation ward.

“I have since been receiving physiotherapy treatment and expect to be discharged in April. I am a lot healthier now and I am looking forward to getting back to a normal life, albeit one confined to a wheelchair.”

Bruce has been a Black Cats fan since his childhood in South Shields.

Bruce Ford with some of the friends whol will be taking part in next month's sponsored bike rideBruce Ford with some of the friends whol will be taking part in next month's sponsored bike ride
Bruce Ford with some of the friends whol will be taking part in next month's sponsored bike ride
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“I was brought up in Biddick Hall by my grandmother,” he said.

“She was a lifelong Sunderland fan and passed that down through the whole family, most of whom are season ticket holders.

“I left South Shields at 20 to move down to Norwich for work, I stayed there two years then moved up to Sheffield, where I met the men who are doing the bike ride for me.

“At 29 I left Sheffield to work in Scotland and have lived there ever since.”

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The proceeds from next month’s bike ride will be split between Bruce and Louise, to help them with the alterations they will need to make to their home, and Glasgow Spinal Unit where Bruce has been since flying home.