A KEEN 69-year-old walker who suffered an eight-inch leg gash in a woodland fall has thanked those who came to his aid.

Retired furniture maker Phil Wheeldon was walking with partner Suzie Richards in Chase Woods near Ross-on-Wye on New Year’s Eve when he slipped and tumbled 15 feet down a bank, badly cutting his leg on a broken bit of tree.

Though able to walk initially, the blood was "gushing" from the large wound below his left knee and he soon felt light-headed and had to stop.

Suzie called 999 and activated the emergency pinpoint "What 3 Words" app to identify their remote woodland location, and then summoned help from a man at a nearby bungalow with a quad bike (Derick).

He called in his son with a tractor and link box trailer from the farm above Chase Wood and after fire and ambulance personnel had arrived, applied a tourniquet to the wound and checked him over, Phil was loaded in and carried out to the waiting ambulance at the top of the woods to be taken to Hereford Hospital "sirens blaring".

In the meantime, mountain bikers who arrived at the scene retraced the ’trail of blood’ to recover Phil’s glasses and cap which had been lost in the fall.

In hospital, the father-of-one had surgery, jabs and some 30 stitches in the wound before being allowed home after two and a half days.

"It wasn’t a good start to the New Year, but I’m so grateful to all those who came to my aid," said Phil.

"I didn’t have time to thank them all at the time, but would like to do so now I’m on the road to recovery.

"It’s also fair to say that the "What 3 Words’ app, which pinpoints your location to a few feet, could have been a lifesaver, as it helped the 999 crews find me quickly."

Phil, who lives in the town’s Fontaine Court, added: "When I slipped, I’d gone slightly off track and was trying to get back down on to the path.

"I must have caught my leg on a bit of tree, as I cut it really badly, although I didn’t feel any pain, as I was probably in shock.

"I tried to walk to safety but after 200 yards I started to feel faint and realised I wasn’t going to get out without help.

"But thanks to "What 3 Words’ and all those who came to my aid, I was soon in hospital."

And last week after having the stitches out, he and Suzie had cause for celebration as they celebrated her birthday with a trip to Chippenham and two long walks.

"I’m getting back to normal walking," smiled Phil, "although we’ve stuck to the pavement until now!"