'Quad bike fall bent me in half like a taco'

Dafydd Morris Jones suffered a broken back and neck in a quad bike accident in June

A farmer who survived a quad bike accident that bent him "in half like a taco" has urged others to get proper insurance and called for more industry-specific information and first aid training.

Dafydd Morris Jones, from Ponterwyd, Ceredigion, broke his back and neck in the accident.

The 43-year-old spent four months in hospital and said he would not be able to return to farming for at least a year while he awaited further surgery.

"I didn't insure myself sufficiently for accidents," he said. "If accidents happen, the cost of not being able to work is huge."

Gwenno Davies, from the Farmers' Union of Wales, said farmers were more than 20 times more likely to suffer fatal accidents at work than the average for all other sectors combined.

"Farm safety must be our first consideration – not last," she said.

Mr Morris Jones said he had been gathering sheep on 17 June when the front wheel of his quad bike slipped on a piece of fern, causing the rear wheel to lift and throw him off.

"Unfortunately, as I was going in the direction of the slope, the bike followed me and lifted my feet up and bent me in half like a taco, breaking my back," he said.

He landed in the bracken, badly injured, with no feeling in his legs.

His mother, who saw the bike "cartwheeling" downhill, rushed over and heard him calling for help.

While waiting for emergency services, they used their first aid knowledge to pack fern around his back and stabilise his injuries.

The farmer says he still has a long period of recovery ahead

Mr Morris Jones was flown by air ambulance to the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff where he spent three-and-a-half weeks unable to move while surgeons worked to stabilise his back with screws and rods.

He was then transferred to Llandough Hospital recovery centre in Penarth, Vale of Glamorgan, to begin therapy and learn to walk again.

After nearly four months of treatment, he returned home on 10 October, still wearing a brace and awaiting further surgery on his neck.

"Thankfully I'm back on my feet but without the care and a long hospital stay I wouldn't be where I am today," he said.

Mr Morris Jones said all farmers should prepare for accidents and respond "sensibly" given the "dangerous nature" of farm work.

He said he lost his phone during the accident, highlighting the need for devices like watches that can alert emergency services and contacts.

"Being able to treat ourselves and our families before help arrives is absolutely essential," he said.

According to the Health and Safety Executive, farm machinery is the leading cause of deaths and serious accidents in agriculture.

It said 22 people, including two children, had died on farms across Wales, England, and Scotland since 1 April - and there were 24 deaths on Welsh farms between 2019 and 2023.

A spokesperson from the Welsh Farm Safety Partnership said it was "essential farmers improve safety practices significantly, especially with machinery".

It also urged farmers to "take caution and prepare in advance", for example, "check ATVs, the weather, your route, have a phone, wear a helmet and let someone know where you are going and when you'll be home".

'Serious implications'

Agricultural unions have also called on farmers to ensure they have full and adequate insurance.

Aled Griffiths, from the National Farmers' Union, said "insurance can be expensive but farmers must consider the cost of an accident, their monthly bills and who will carry out the work if they're unable to".

He added: "Unfortunately, if someone is underinsured, then if there is an accident, if there are bills, only a portion of the cost will be paid and, of course, that can have serious implications."

Mr Morris Jones said he was staying positive, adding: "Around the house, I'm on my feet with the help of sticks and there's a clear path to further recovery.

"I hope to be back farming within a year. I'm not sure if that's realistic, but the need - and desire - to get back drives me forward."