Blind biker races again after near-fatal crash

Nigel Limb in the side car of a pink motorcycle covered in sponsorship logos sits behind the rider as the bike comes round a corner with the sidecar wheel off the ground in front of a bank of stacked tyres. Both are wearing yellow racing leathers and helmets
Image caption,

Nigel Limb went round a race circuit in Middlesbrough in a motorbike and sidecar

  • Published

A man who was nearly killed and lost his sight in a motorcycle racing crash has taken to the track again.

Nigel Limb from Lincolnshire was left in a coma and not expected to survive after coming off his bike at Mablethorpe in 2015.

He was declared brain dead and his life-support machine was about to be switched off before music played by his wife Julie Limb brought a reaction.

Now, 10 years on, he has taken to a motorbike sidecar and sped round a circuit in Middlesbrough.

Mr Limb said returning to racing had left him "lost for words".

"The smell, the sound, the feel," he said.

"I might not be able to see a lot, but all them senses are just absolutely what my life is about," he said.

"You can smell the tyres and rubber and acceleration and it's just insane, absolutely insane."

Nigel Limbs wearing a straw hat and sunglasses and his yellow racing leathers
Image caption,

Mr Limb now gives talks under the name Blind Bloke Racing

Mrs Limb said her husband had had a difficult few years recovering from his injuries and becoming partially sighted.

"He thought to himself, 'what can I do?'," she said.

"'I've still got my mouth'. He can still talk, he can talk for England."

Mr Limb now gives talks and fundraises for charity under the name Blind Bloke Racing.

His wife said he had begun to wonder if he could get back on the bike again.

"It kind of progressed from there really," Ms Limb said.

"He always asked me, 'is that OK?'

"I'm like, 'well yeah', because otherwise what are you going to do?

"You've got to make your heart happy, haven't you? Otherwise life's not worth living."

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