A RIBBLE Valley dad is gearing up to raise funds for the hospital that saved his son's life after a freak accident.

Seven-year-old Joe Geldard from Billington was left fighting for his life after he inhaled a map pin whilst trying to stick Blackburn Rovers tickets to his bedroom wall in January this year.

The Whalley Primary School pupil was rushed to Royal Blackburn Hospital after the pin became lodged in his throat and his parents, Linda and David, failed to revive him when he stopped breathing and went blue and limp.

The youngster went into cardiac arrest in the ambulance but the paramedics were able to revive him.

Doctors in Blackburn tried in vain to remove the pin and as Joe’s condition deteriorated, staff made the decision to transfer him to Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital where they had the specialist equipment needed to remove the pin.

After being transferred to the Intensive Care Unit at the children’s hospital in an ambulance Joe underwent a two-hour operation to remove the pin from his left bronchiole.

He spent three days on the ICU at Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital before being transferred back to Blackburn where he made a full recovery.

Now, his dad David, a teacher at Cedar's Infant School in Blackburn, is taking part in this year’s 10k Great Manchester Run aiming to raise £500 for the children's hospital.

He said: "It was an awful time for the whole family because we weren't sure whether he would live.

"The journey to Manchester was the worst bit because if we had hit a pothole it could have dislodged the pin and he would have died instantly.

“The treatment Joe received at Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital was just amazing, he had one to one support on ICU and my family and I owe a huge debt of gratitude to the doctors and nurses.

"Taking part in the is my way of saying thanks for the treatment Joe received and I hope I can raise as much money as possible.”

To support Dave visit www.justgiving.com/David-Geldard