JOCKEY Tim Sprake is back in the saddle and hoping to resume his racing career following a road accident which left him in a coma for three weeks.

The 34-year-old rider, who lives in from West Overton, was enjoying the best season of his career with 112 wins when he was involved in an accident on December 13 two years ago. His car skidded on black ice on December 13 two years ago and crashed into a field at Clatford.

Mr Sprake was returning home from an early morning trip into Marlborough to buy his racing papers when the accident happened.

Newsagent Tony Coles saw the car lights disappear into the field and went to the jockey's aid.

At first it was thought he had minor concussion, but Mr Sprake did not regain consciousness after 24 hours, and consultants in the intensive care unit at the Princess Margaret Hospital became increasingly concerned.

He lay in a coma for more than three weeks, and it was almost eight months before he was well enough to return home to his wife and children and begin the long road to recovery.

With the encouragement of many of his jockey friends, including Frankie Dettori who was himself badly injured in a plane crash, Mr Sprake has learned to walk again and made a gradual return to the saddle, starting with gentle rides on friends' ponies.

He has started riding out at trainer Marcus Tregoning's yard in Lambourn five days a week, and has applied for the return of his driving licence which he believes will help his case when he applies to the Jockey Club for a new riding licence.

This week Mr Sprake said: "I am still hoping to get back riding next season some time. I've been riding two lots a day, five days a week for Marcus Tregoning.

"In fact I feel better on a horse than I do on my own feet."

He said he was hoping there would be no hitches in getting his driving licence back from the DVLA. He has had to rely on his wife, Debbie, and friends for lifts, and said: "It will be handy to have my licence back."

Mr Sprake, whose recovery has been helped by the Headway Group in Swindon which assists head injury patients rebuild their lives, said he was delighted at the relatively short time it had taken to get back in the saddle.

He said: "Two years is not a long time for someone who had an injury like mine.

"I would probably say it will be another six months before I am fully fit again."

Trainer Mr Tregoning said: "Tim is riding as good at work as he ever did. He remains as determined as ever.

"If he manages to get back I would love to put him up and give him his first winner," he said.