A MOTORCYCLE instructor suffered serious injuries when his bike was hit by another rider on a remote moorland road.

Blackburn magistrates heard Reynolds Withnell was airlifted to Royal Preston Hospital where he was detained for four weeks with extensive and at one time life-threatening injuries.

The court was told that Mr Withnell, of Bolton was wheelchair bound for months after the incident in July and would be left with one leg shorter than the other

Anthony Law, 37, of Grantley Avenue, Billinge, near Wigan, pleaded guilty to driving without due care and attention and using a motorbike with defective tyre and exhaust. He was fined £185 with £65 costs and his licence endorsed with eight points.

Eddie Harrison, prosecuting, said Law and another man were both riding motorbikes along Egerton Road away from Belmont Village. Both bikes overtook a car before negotiating a right hand bend.

Law took the bend on the wrong side of the road and collided with Mr Withnell's machine. The third bike also collided.

Clare Knight, defending, said her client had also suffered injuries in the accident for which he was still receiving treatment.

"He also has no memory of the incident," said Miss Knight.