A FORMER music teacher who was involved in a horrific crash is supporting a cause close to his heart.

Keith Muggeridge, who lives in Tyldesley, lost control of his car in icy conditions on a country road in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire in February 2015 on his way to work and crashed into a tree.

The driver of a car which was in front of Keith at the time saw the collision in his rear-view mirror and turned back to help him.

Assessing the situation, the driver - a medical professional - realised he needed to call the Thames Valley Air Ambulance service to get to Keith's aid quicker rather than phone for an ambulance van.

Leigh Journal:

Keith's car after the crash

A helicopter arrived nine minutes later and paramedics revived Keith - who had stopped breathing and suffered a brain haemorrhage - before he was flown to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford.

Keith, who does not remember anything between January to May 2015, suffered brain damage and was in a coma for two weeks.

He spent around a year recovering in different hospitals and care homes.

He suffers with fatigue, double vision, is unable to drive and had to retire as a result of the accident but Keith knows the outcome of the crash could have been much worse.

Dad-of-two Keith, 47, said: "It was a miracle that the person in the car in front of me was a medical professional and realised a road ambulance would never have got to the fairly remote location in time.

"The ambulance service is absolutely fantastic. I would not be alive without them.

"Where the crash happened is quite a dangerous place to land a helicopter as there are cables around with a power station being close by.

"That shows how dedicated the air ambulance staff were to helping me.

"The pilot was fantastic- he struggled to park the helicopter but he showed bravery not to give up.

"The staff put their lives on the line to get there- it was incredible.

"I feel very honoured to have been saved by these brave people." 

Leigh Journal:

Keith with his partner Sarah, son Ewan, 15, and daughter Josie, 13

Keith, who was a music teacher at Lowton CE High School from 1997 to 1999, is now attending the Royal Northern College of Music on an MA course in performance and is "loving the opportunity" he has been given to expand his music knowledge.

And on Friday, June 7 at St George's Church in Tyldesley at 8pm, Keith will be performing as a baritone soloist in a concert conducted by Mark Peacock that brass band, The Fairey Band, which has a world-class reputation, will be starring in.

Keith is a former member of the band.

Proceeds from the event will go to the North West Air Ambulance, which, like other air ambulance services across the country, is charity-funded.

It follows a concert Keith performed in Hertfordshire in 2016 in aid of Thames Valley Air Ambulance, which raised more than £5,000.

Leigh Journal:

Keith with holding a cheque that was presented to Thames Valley Air Ambulance after funds were raised from a concert in Hertfordshire in 2016

Tickets for the event at the Elliott Street church cost £10 and can be paid for on the door and entry for under 16s is free.

On the night, Keith will also be selling copies of CD, Flight: My Journey, which was recorded by an all star brass band accompanied by him, in aid of the ambulance service.

The CD, which has already generated around £5,000 for Thames Valley Air Ambulance, will be on sale for the reduced price of £10.

Alternatively, copies are available to buy at keithmuggeridge.com.