Emergency services at the scene of the crash in Canonbury

A FORMER Team GB decathlete is fighting for his life after a horror crash in Canonbury.

Welsh athlete Ben Gregory is in a coma after the cyclist collided with a car on Friday afternoon. It left him with a fractured skull and neck, along with several brain haemorrhages, according to his partner. Naomi Heffernan confirmed to the Tribune yesterday (Thursday) that the crash happened in Essex Road at the junction with Canonbury Street.

“Yesterday we were told Ben wasn’t expected to make it past resuscitation let alone to ICU because of the severity of his injuries,” Ms Heffernan wrote on social media.

“They are amazed he is here and fighting, almost six days on now. They told us Ben is made of something special.”

Mr Gregory, who has competed for Wales at the Commonwealth Games three times – in Delhi in 2010, Glasgow in 2014 and Australia in 2018 – has such severe injuries that doctors are reportedly surprised he survived the day of the accident.

Support has poured in from around the world. English hurdles champion Dai Greene wrote: “One of the nicest and most positive people I’ve had the pleasure to be around at the track. Keep fighting, Ben.”

Welsh Athletics have described him as “Wales’ greatest ever decathlete” while noting his “incredible love of life, his kindness, support and loyalty… We will all continue to pray for a full recovery for Ben.”

Eyewitnesses were badly shaken up after seeing the accident which left the car’s windscreen smashed and the bike’s front wheel broken.

“I heard a very loud sound outside and saw a car with its windshield fully smashed, and a gentleman lying in the road,” said Malika Chadha, a Canonbury Street resident who called 999.

“It was really awful,” she said. “He was wearing a helmet, the impact must have been serious.”

Police said the Honda Civic driver was assisting with their enquiries. No arrests have been made.

“The guy driving the car looked like he was in shock,” Ms Chadha said. “I feel bad for the person driving the car as well, to see someone that badly injured.

“The bike was badly mangled, one of the wheels had come off. It wasn’t nice to see, I have been freaking out since – every time I step out I feel a bit on edge.”

Bobby Kasabi, another Canonbury Street resident, saw the immediate aftermath of the crash from his balcony after hearing a noise.

He said: “He had a bike helmet on and pedestrians called the ambulance. They were treating him for almost half an hour. It looked pretty serious, the way the police had closed the road and were taking photos of the scene.”

Mr Kasabi said the car involved in the accident was later towed from the scene.

Edward Dickinson was working at Canonbury Pet Store at the time of the accident. He said the road had been busier than normal that day. “It’s always quite busy, but it was the strikes that day, so there were more cars and people on bikes on the road,” he said.

“It was really serious – hopefully he’s pulled through,” Mr Dickinson added.