A COURAGEOUS farmer who was left paralysed after a one ton bale of hay fell on him is holding his second fundraising equestrian day.

Robert Field, 23, from Cornfield Grove, Burnley, broke his back, fractured his jaw and severed a main artery after the bale fell on him while he was working at Shuttleworth House Farm, Hapton, in September 2007.

He was airlifted to the Royal Preston Hospital after the accident and his family said that he was lucky to be alive because the bale missed his upper body and head.

Robert along with his friends and family, held a very successful equestrian fundraising day in June 2008 where they surpassed their expectations to raise £13,000 for the air ambulance who saved him.

Now Robert wants try and follow the success of last year’s event at Croft Top Equestrian Centre in Stone Fold, near Accrington, and is hoping to get a celebrity backing the event.

This year’s event is set to be held at Crow Wood Leisure and equestrian centre in Burnley on Saturday, September 19 with money raised going to Spinal Research.

Robert, who went to Wellfield Primary School and Ivy Bank High School, both in Burnley, was treated in the spinal injury unit at Southport & Formby District General Hospital after being transferred from Preston.

He has a mobility car to allow him to have more freedom and is looking forward to getting a specially adapted tractor.

Robert’s mother Susan said he really wanted to do something to thank the people who helped save his life.

She said: “We are hoping to organise another really good day like last year. We have ben trying to get a celebrity to make a guest appearance, we have approached Ricky Hatton, as Rob is a big fan of his, but we won’t know for a while if he can do it.

“We have also been thinking of seeing if any Burnley players could come, but we will have to see if they are available. Last time we raised £13,000, and we only thought we would be able to raise £5,000.”