A FUNDRAISER ended up in an accident that could have cost him his life while trying to raise money for Gillingham organisation Msaada and national charity Cancer Research UK.

Printer Geoff Ballett set off on a charity scooter ride from Shaftesbury to the Sahara and when he arrived in Morocco, police told him that travelling through the country on his own was impossible because of unrest in the countryside.

Geoff revised his route and decided to travel the planned 7,000 kilometres across Portugal, Spain and France.

But when he was 100km south of Lisbon, a van driver on a mobile phone cut in front of Geoff, forcing him to swerve. He hit a pothole and was thrown from his bike.

Geoff's injuries included a bang to the head, pulled and torn muscles in his knee, back and wrist, and a chipped wristbone.

"The only thing I can remember was hitting the ground and the next thing I could hear sirens and there were people standing over me.

"The next two hours are a bit fuzzy," he said in his account to Msaada director Billy Kelly.

"The hospital in Santiago and Dr Lucio Cardator did a great job making sure I had every test and loads of X-rays.

"I was told I was a very lucky man and my motorcycle clothing and helmet had saved me from life-threatening injuries."

Geoff said he felt lucky to be alive and is still determined to complete his challenge.

"It will take some time to heal and get my head back into gear after being so focused on my goal, but I am working hard to focus on the positives of this trip as there were many more of them than negatives," he said.

"I will complete this trip one day and thank those who have graciously supported me and the charities so far."

Geoff's scooter, which he nicknamed Wilson after the film Castaway starring Tom Hanks, is being returned to the UK from a garage in Portugal.