A grateful father has said a ‘massive thank you’ to a group of runners who came to the rescue when he and his young son had a cycling accident last month.

Nick Eveleigh and seven-year-old Henry were cycling along a secluded path in Kingsteignton on July 23 when Henry, who was riding in front of him, fell off.

Swerving to avoid him, Nick also came off his bike and tore a hamstring.

He said: “Henry was grazed but generally OK, just a little shaken up, but I was unable to move.

“I was just lying there, flat on my back, when the seven runners came round the corner and came to our aid.

“They pushed our bikes home, rang an ambulance and looked after my son until my wife arrived.

“They really did save us from a situation that could have been a lot worse.

“I have had physio and am now fully recovered and back to work running my plastering company.

“I would like to say a massive thank you to these kind people.”

The Good Samaritans were all from the Maverick Runners in Newton Abbot, and were being led that evening by Hania Lee.

She said: “We were out on our weekly Thursday social run, on the path between Church Road and Woodmere Way, when we came across a gentleman who had come off his pushbike and he was with his young son.

“He was unable to stand and clearly needed some help, so there was no way we were going to leave them until further help arrived.

“Luckily, there were enough of us to stay with him while we waited for his wife to arrive and then help him into the car, while a couple of the others ran the bikes back to his house.

“Not quite the Thursday social run we were expecting, but very glad we happened to be in the right place at the right time.”