THE jetskier said to have risked life in the Seacat ferry scare, pleaded today: "I am not the Mersey madman".

Company director, Graham Betley, of Burnley, said he was not the rider branded "lunatic" by port police after skiing underneath a packed ferry as it neared Liverpool.

He claims he had, in fact "crashed out" in the water after colliding with a speedboat well behind the ferry at the time of the alleged incident.

"It was clearly a case of mistaken identity," he protested.

"The first I knew of this is when a policeman accused me of going under the ferry when I was pulled back to the bank," said the the 36-year-old data communications boss.

He added: "And I was stunned when I picked up the newspapers and saw the finger was being pointed at me."

Graham, 36, of Clockhouse Court, Burnley, came forward to speak exclusively to the Lancashire Evening Telegraph and "set the record straight".

"I agree with everything that was said in the national media - it was a mad stunt, it was stupid and crazy - but it wasn't me."

Now the Burnley father has made a full statement to Port of Liverpool police, along with names of supporting witnesses and the identity of the man who he believes may have been responsible for the stunt.

Graham says he was riding his own £4,000 Kawasaki 750 jetski, jumping wake waves 100 yards behind the ferry at the time of the incident on Saturday afternoon. "A power boat was nearby and we were criss-crossing and I could also see another jetskier very close to the back of the ferry."

"Suddenly I couldn't get out of the way of the speedboat and we collided at around 50mph, sending me flying and holing the hull of my ski.

"The next thing I knew was the other jetskier was with me offering to get a rope so I could be pulled in.

"But then he said the Seacat was turning around and he was off. I didn't think anything about why he had cleared off at the time, but it son became clear."

Graham was towed back to land by the speedboat and was met by a police officer. "He didn't seem interested in my explanation or the witnesses on the boat and told me I would be reported"

Graham, who took up jetskiing in May when wife, Debra, banned him from buying a motorbike, went on: "When I saw all the headlines in the Press, I decided to get advice from my solicitor and say nothing until it was all cleared up."

Despite the experience, his lucky escape in the crash and the £800 damage to his craft, Graham says he is determined to continue jetskiing.

Port of Liverpool police are still investigating.

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