A PUB chef returned to work just three days after a nasty crash on his bicycle left him lying unconscious in the road.

James Atkinson was not wearing a helmet when he was involved in the collision with a car in Church Street, Burnley, last Wednesday, and his head and shoulder smashed through the side window of the vehicle.

But the 27-year-old was back in the kitchen at Cliviger’s Kettledrum Inn on Saturday night nursing a shoulder injury, a broken tooth and cuts and bruising.

He added: “It happened suddenly and I didn’t have time to do anything about it. I went into the side door and my head hit the window.

“The next thing I knew I was flat out on the road and just regaining consciousness. I think I was out for about 10 minutes.

“I wasn’t wearing a helmet and it was quite a big impact, but I think my shoulder must have hit and broken the glass first before my head went through. I’ll definitely wear a helmet from now on, I’ve learnt my lesson there.”

He said he was travelling between 20 and 30mph before the collision with a car turning right into Ormerod Road.

The driver called an ambulance and James, of Barden Lane, was taken to the Royal Blackburn Hospital, where he had seven stitches to his shoulder and checks on a cracked tooth.

He added: “It was just one of those things. I suppose it’s quite quick to go back to work but I didn’t have any broken bones and wanted to go back. I’ve had to sleep on a camp bed because my shoulder’s so sore, but other than that I’m okay.”

Although he was left shaken up by the crash, and his road bike was snapped in two, the former Mansfield High School pupil said he would be ‘straight back on the road’ when he gets a new bike.

James also urged all motorists to be extra vigilant on the roads this summer as more cyclists take advantage of the warm weather.