A TEN-YEAR-OLD boy has returned home in time to spend Christmas with his parents, less than two weeks after he was seriously injured in a bike accident.

John Ashmore was knocked unconscious when he was in collision with a car near his home on December 2.

He spent nearly a week in hospital before he regained consciousness, but was allowed home only a few days later.

John was riding his bike in North Road, Darlington, near the junction with Mayfair Road, at about 11am.

He was in a collision with a red Mitsubishi Colt and knocked off his bike.

He suffered a fractured skull in the incident and a bike spoke cut a hole in his leg.

John was initially taken to Darlington Memorial Hospital but was later transferred to Middlesbrough's James Cook Hospital.

He regained consciousness six days after the accident and was discharged from hospital on December 11 to return home to his parents in Holmwood Grove, in the Harrowgate Hill area of Darlington.

His mother, Sue Ashmore, said: "We are so relieved. We don't think we quite realised what had really happened and how serious it was at first.

"At one stage it was touch and go.

"We didn't think like that at the time. We feel lucky to have Christmas together."

She and her husband John were at their son's bedside for much of the time following the accident.

When he regained consciousness he was unable to recognise many things, but could make out his parents.

Mrs Ashmore now plans to treat her son during the Christmas holidays.

The family moved to Darlington from Croydon seven years ago.

John's grandparents will be visiting from the south over the festive period.

Mrs Ashmore added: "Everybody is amazed that he has recovered so quickly. It is remarkable really.

"He was a whisker away from death, according to the consultants in Darlington."

John is a pupil at Harrowgate Hill Primary School and is a keen footballer, supporting Arsenal.