A FIREFIGHTER spent more than a year living with a hidden timebomb before a doctor told him: "You've broken your neck."

Sub Officer Paul Yates (pictured), 52, was knocked off his bicycle in Sandy Lane, Lower Darwen, in March 1999 and suffered neck, head and wrist injuries.

He suffered a set back early in his treatment when his wrists were found to be broken four months after the accident but otherwise thought he was making a good recovery.

It was only when a neurologist in Manchester recently started carrying out checks for vertigo as part of the insurance claim that an MRI scan showed his neck was broken. Mr Yates is now facing being put on a waiting list for surgery to repair the damage.

He said: "At the moment it is like walking on broken glass. Prior to them finding this I was recovering quite quickly but now I have to wear a collar.

"It's quite frightening to think that I've been going about normal activities without realising a jolt to the neck could paralyse or kill me.

"I've been having physiotherapy and I've also been swimming on holiday. I thought the pain in my neck was whiplash. It was pure fluke that it was found. "Now I have been told I will have to wait another four months at best before a corrective operation can be done and it could be as long as 18 months.

"It's a difficult position to be in."

Mr Yates' solicitor John Dewhurst, a partner at Watsons Solicitors in Darwen, added: "Legal action is already pending in respect of the accident. Mr Yates is now considering his position in relation to the failure to diagnose his broken neck."

At the time of the incident, Mr Yates said he had been saved by his cycle helmet.

More than 100 colleagues, family and friends attended a retirement bash for Mr Yates at Darwen Fire Station on Friday.

He was presented with his firefighter's axe, mounted with his service medals and badges, a Tiffany lamp and a bronze statue.

Mr Yates served with Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service for 26 years and was based at Darwen Fire Station for the last 12. Prior to that, he was based at Blackburn, Rawtenstall and the training centre at Chorley.

He lives at Sunnyhurst Post Office in Darwen, with his postmistress wife, Janice. The couple have two sons, Steven and Jonathon.

He said he had mixed feelings about his retirement.

"It will be nice to retire and spend more time at home and I have got used to it because I have been off sick for the last 12 months," he said.

"But I will certainly miss the lads. There is always a lot of comradeship in the fire service and I will miss all that."