A POPULAR teenage barman is now recovering in hospital after being badly injured in an horrific head-on smash.

Nick Hedge, 19, of Rosehill Road, Burnley, was kept in intensive care for three days after the collision.

Nick, who works at his family's town centre bar, Paradise Island in Bull Street, was a back seat passenger in a Ford Fiesta, with his seat belt on, when it collided with another car last Friday afternoon.

Apprentice joiner Nick and three fellow workers were on their way home on the A65 near Skipton, after finishing work in Ilkley for Barnfield Construction.

Work tools in the boot of the car jolted forward during the smash and crushed Nick's back, who was trapped by his seat belt. He suffered severe abdominal injuries.

Nick's mum, Carol Hedge, of Rosehill Road, said: "Doctors have made comments as to how lucky he has been throughout all this.

"It has been a very turbulent time this past week, despite Nick saying he is now fine, he still has a long way to go and we are just praying that his bowel can function normally after his operations are complete.

"He has just started a career as a joiner, we are crossing our fingers so that he will make a full recovery and be able to return to work."

Five other people, including the driver of the Ford Fiesta Michael Law, 19, of Burnley, were taken to Airedale with slight injuries and passenger Christopher Goss, 22, also of Burnley, received slight injuries. Raymond McLellan, 34, of Victoria Road, Skipton, was the front seat passenger in the Fiesta when it was in collision with a Vauxhall Astra on the Skipton bypass. The driver of the Astra, Matthew Warke, 64, of Ilkley and passenger Jean Warke had to be cut free by the fire services.

Nick's eldest brother Chris, 34, from Harle Syke who co-owns Paradise Island with his wife Nicola and his parents, said Nick is making a steady recovery but he is still very poorly from his injuries.

He said: "He is in good spirits at the moment because he has had a lot of support from friends and family.

"His stomach muscle has been cut in half and he has ruptured his bowel, so he won't be able to come home until doctors can sort that out.

"He is going to have quite a few cuts and scars to remind him of the horrific accident, but we think that he is just lucky to be alive."

Nick was taken to Airedale General Hospital and underwent an emergency operation as soon as he arrived.

He was in a serious condition in the intensive care unit for three days and transferred onto a normal ward at the hospital on Tuesday.

His dad Michael Hedge said he was looking forward to getting him home. He said: "Nick has been very lucky because on Friday we were very uncertain as to whether or not he would pull through, but today he is 1,000 times better than he was this time last week and we are amazed at how well he has come through this."