A MOTHER today warned children with quad bikes to ensure they wear crash helmets after her son came off his bike and suffered head injuries.

Colm Jones, 15, was airlifted from the moors above his home in Waterfoot and taken to Royal Preston Hospital yesterday afternoon.

Colm, who lives on a farm in Lench Road, Waterfoot, had been using his quad bike in a nearby quarry with two friends yesterday afternoon.

His mum Pauline, said: "He did not tell us that his crash helmet had been run over and so he had not taken it up with him.

"I would urge all parents to make sure their children use crash helmets when they are driving quad bikes.

"They were taking it in turns to have a go on the bike and when my son was driving it he swerved to avoid a rock and it went out of control. The front wheels came up and the bike landed on top of him."

His friends ran to the farm to raise the alarm and Colm's sister Danielle, 23, and neighbour Andy Berry, went to the quarry to wait with Colm while the paramedics arrived.

Pauline said: "The family were in hospital to 1am today while they x-rayed Colm and checked he had not fractured his skull because there was blood at the base of his neck.

"He looks a real mess and has taken the skin off half of his face, his shoulder, chest and back, he also suffered a possible fracture at the base of his neck, but it is the sort which will heal itself.

"They kept him in for observation and we are hoping to be able to bring him home tonight."

Three years' ago Colm fractured his skull after falling 30ft down a cliff in Whitewell Bottom, which kept him off school for a month.

Pauline reckoned it would be at least two weeks before he was well enough to go back to Fearns High School, in Stacksteads.