Portsmouth man and woman nearly die in horror motorbike crash before air ambulance saves them
The friends were critically injured in the crash
A Portsmouth man and his friend both nearly died when they were thrown from a motorbike during a horror crash before being saved.
Peter Wright, 60, has thanked Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance team for saving his life after suffering multiple serious injuries in a crash that left him facing months of recovery.
Peter has spent more than 40 years working in the building industry, but his passion has always been motorbikes. Having ridden since he was 12, he regularly enjoys trips across the region.
On Sunday 1 June 2025, Peter and his friend Tracie set off on his motorcycle for a day at the races in Andover. But as they travelled along the A32 near Wickham, they were involved in a serious collision with a car.
Tracie suffered multiple critical injuries after being thrown from the motorcycle, while Peter was left in a similarly serious state.
A passer-by called 999 at 11.19am and, within minutes, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance's Critical Care Paramedic (CCP) team was dispatched by car.
When the first clinical team arrived, Peter was conscious but unable to move. He had blood inside his helmet visor, was in pain from his shoulder down to his legs and was showing signs of significant internal injuries.
The helicopter's Critical Care Team was called to the scene, where Peter received advanced emergency treatment, including specialist sedation, a pelvic binder to help control internal bleeding and splints to stabilise multiple fractures, before being airlifted directly to University Hospital Southampton for emergency surgery.
Peter later discovered he had suffered extensive injuries. "I did a fairly good job of it all," he said. "I broke my shoulder blade, collarbone, pelvis, wrists and ankle.
“I also had tissue and nerve damage and a small bleed on the brain. I've never had any serious injuries before. "It just goes to show that something like this can happen to anyone."
Peter spent three weeks in hospital before returning home, believing he would recover within a matter of weeks. Instead, his rehabilitation took almost a year.
"I woke up with my arms and legs in casts, but I assumed I'd be out and back to normal within four weeks," he said. "It's actually taken the best part of a year to get back to a decent level of fitness.
"I couldn't pick up a pen or a mug – I had to learn to use my fingers again and get them working again. I didn't work for seven months.
"I've always had a very positive attitude, but there were times when I had doubts – it's been very challenging. But now that there is light at the end of the tunnel, I'm eternally grateful for the fact that I'm still here."
Peter says he owes his life to everyone involved in his care, from the emergency call handler to the crews who treated him at the roadside and the hospital teams who cared for him afterwards.
"I would like to say, hand on heart, I can't thank everyone who played their part enough – from the crew on scene to the dispatcher in the call centre and the people who donate. Thank you for all that you've done for me,” he said.
"You're all appreciated – not just by me, but by everyone who has been helped by you. You don't realise how important these services are until you desperately need them."
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance is a charity that relies on donations to provide advanced critical care across the region, responding to patients with the most serious injuries and medical emergencies.
Visit hiowaa.org for more information.