A Llanyre man whose life was changed forever after being crushed in a quad bike accident has urged his farming colleagues to 'look after their lives' - and drive safely.

Ten years ago Roger James took a short cut up a steep incline, wanting to save a few minutes rather than driving his quad bike the longer, safer way.

Roger, now 58, says he was driving in the same manner he had driven almost daily for many years without incident. But his life changed forever when the quad slipped off a grassy ledge in a sloping field, landing on top of him.

Now, having been forced to retire after a courageous and long fight to continue to earn his livelihood from farming, he’s urging people to take precautions to avoid suffering the same fate.

"I’m in pain every day of my life. Although it’s mainly manageable and I try not to give in to it, it’s completely debilitating and exhausting, which has inevitably had a huge effect on me and impacted on my family too," he said.

"I can still get around and do a certain amount of the lighter farm work, but I have to spend at least ten hours of every day lying down or asleep to give me the strength and stamina to carry on the next day."

Fortunately for Roger, he was carrying a mobile phone at the time of the incident and, just before his body went into complete shock, he had managed to call both 999 and wife Joanne.

Roger was flown first to Hereford County Hospital, then to a specialist unit at Coventry hospital where skilful medics managed to pin together his shattered pelvis, enabling him to walk and drive again.

Since the first eighteen months of his initial recuperation period, Roger has continued to make steady progress. He generally walks unaided but can only move at one speed and it takes huge effort to walk straight, without veering to one side.

"You just get on with things and do the best you can," says Roger, who will move into managing the two successful caravan sites he has built up with wife Joanne to provide the family with a replacement income, a job he hopes will be less physically demanding.

But before he retires, he says he wants to help the Wales Farm Safety Partnership, who are running a series of workshops on ‘Saving lives and livelihoods’ starting this May, get their message across.

"Every year, thousands of farmers have accidents on quad bikes, usually because they’re under pressure, rushing and take unnecessary risks.

"Many accidents go unreported because farmers either walk away in one piece or it’s an injury that they know they will recover from, but as I know first-hand, you’re not always that lucky.

"Look after your life, safeguard your livelihood and drive your quad safely."

For dates and locations and to book a place at one of these events, call the Farming Connect Service Centre on 08456 000 813 or visit www.gov.wales/farmingconnect