GIRL, 10, KEEN TO SPREAD HELMET MESSAGE AFTER CYCLING ACCIDENT

A 10-YEAR-OLD girl is urging everyone to wear helmets while cycling after she suffered a nasty head injury while riding.

Abigail Coates’ family, from Stanlake in Oxfordshire, arrived for a holiday at the Tyddyn Isaf Caravan Park in Amlwch, Anglesey on July 22.

Two days later they decided to go for a family bike ride heading from Lon Las Cefni towards Newborough when Abigail suddenly lost control of her bike and fell headfirst over her handlebars – briefly knocking herself unconscious despite wearing a helmet.

Abi’s mum Natasha thanked the “many people” that stopped and offered to help. Some even went to buy the family extra dressings and first aid equipment.

The family waited more than three hours for an ambulance, so Natasha and dad Graeme eventually took her to A&E themselves.

Once at Ysbyty Gwynedd, Abi was rushed to triage with a suspected skull fracture.

Doctors told the family that had she not been wearing the safety gear, the outcome could have been much worse.

Natasha said: “Abi is actually a really good cyclist; we cycle miles as a family and have done all sorts of difficult downhills.

“We were going reasonably slowly because there were quite a lot of pedestrians, so we think her wheel must have just skidded in the dust.

“Her wheel went from under her, and she went over the handlebars, and landed on her head, knocking her out.

“She was bleeding a lot, even though she landed on her helmet.”

Abi returned to Tyddyn Isaf Caravan park with some nasty bruising, cuts and a lump.

The family have shared images of Abi’s injuries online as the 10-year-old is keen to urge everyone to make sure they wear a helmet while cycling.

The post has now been shared dozens of times and Abi hopes it will raise awareness so more people can avoid injury.