An Edinburgh cyclist has credited her helmet with saving her life after she suffered a serious crash a few weeks ago.
Michelle was out riding her bike in the city centre when she came off of the seat and toppled onto the road on August 6.
The nasty fall saw Michelle quickly taken to A&E in an ambulance, where she was treated for multiple nasty cuts and bruises, including a huge seven cm gash on her head.
Also suffering from concussion, she was then required to have six staples on the back of her head to close up the wound.
Three weeks on, Michelle has urged other cyclists of the importance of wearing a helmet and has stated that without it she may not have been so lucky,
Speaking to Edinburgh Live, she said:
"I’m not entirely sure what happened to cause the accident, however I found myself being thrown off the bike, landing with the back of my head and spine on the kerb and then sliding to a stop on the road.
"Luckily, no one else was involved and the amazing people who were nearby at the time called an ambulance for me and stayed with me.
"I asked someone to reach for my phone, which was in a small bag attached to my bike, so that I could call my fiance, Bryan, to let him know what had happened. Having hit my head pretty hard, I couldn’t remember that I had called my fiance five times, my friend twice and also my mum and dad!
"I was treated for some grazes to my skin, concussion and a lovely seven cm wound to the back of my head, which was later decorated with 6 staples.
After recovering from her injuries, Michelle has urged the importance of wearing a helmet in the hope it can save someone else's life like it did hers.
She added: "I was extremely lucky, but my life was also saved because I was wearing a helmet.
"My helmet is cracked and split in several different places and if I hadn’t of been wearing it, those cracks and splits would have most certainly been seen on my skull and I would not be here to tell the story.
"I felt strongly about wearing helmets and the safety of cycling before, but I now cannot stress enough how important wearing a helmet is and I want this to be communicated to everyone.
"With schools going back recently and Edinburgh improving cycle lanes, this is so important right now and this message could save another persons life, if not more."
