BUSINESSMAN Kevin Assinder is thrilled he still managed to raise £1,200 in a charity bike ride for the Meningitis Trust, despite a nasty fall off his bicycle during the event.

The accident happened midway through the 180-mile course, but to the delight of the father-of-two, of Rumble Dene, Chippenham, all of his sponsors decided to pay up anyway.

Mr Assinder, 38, fractured his eye socket, had nine stitches put in his face and suffered cuts and bruises to his legs and arms from the fall, which tore a huge gash in his helmet.

But the pain and discomfort he suffered was not in vain, and thanks to the generosity of his friends, family and local companies he was able to present the Meningitis Trust with a cheque for £1,200.

"I think most people realised that I would have finished the race had it not been for the fall, and the money was for an excellent cause," he said.

"I was wearing a helmet and that was a complete right off. But if I hadn't been wearing it I might not be here now."

Mr Assinder, who is the managing director of his own software-manufacturing firm in Sherston, said he is a keen cyclist and goes on a charity bike ride every year.

He said he cycled ten to 15 miles every evening and trained at St Mary's gym in Calne for eight weeks in preparation for the ride, which took place at the end of May along a National Cycleway approved route.

The ride started in Barnstaple, in Devon, and the accident happened on the second day, near the village of North Newton, in Somerset.

Mr Assinder, his brother Robert and brother-in-law Robin Denman, had just crossed a bridge on their bikes, and turned right onto a path when he struck a sleeping policeman and fell, landing on his head.

Because he was wearing cycling cleats Mr Assinder, who has completed the London to Brighton charity bike ride three times, was unable to twist his feet out of the pedals and the bike fell on top of him.

He was taken by ambulance to Bridgwater hospital where he was X-rayed, and then to Taunton for a more thorough examination.

Mr Assinder said his wife Sally, 38, who was six-and-a-half months pregnant when the accident happened, was extremely worried and pulled out of a trip to Birmingham halfway through to collect her husband from hospital.

He said: "When it happens to you, you don't always realise how serious it is, while everyone else can see the damage. At the time I was more angry that I wasn't going to be able to finish the cycle route. I vowed if anyone didn't pay the sponsorship I would go back and complete it."

Mr Assinder contacted the council responsible for the area when he returned home and they said the road was owned by British Waterways.

He has spoken to the firm asking them to either remove or mark the sleeping policeman clearly in the road. He said he is reluctant to sue the company, but added he will take legal action if British Waterways does not respond to him soon, giving the proceeds to the Meningitis Trust if he wins the case.