Last updated at 21:07, Thursday, 16 June 2011

A 22-year-old rugby professional from Cockermouth who could have died after a road smash hopes to resume full training soon.

James Tincknell: Critically hurt in crash on A66

James Tincknell, who grew up in Papcastle, is a centre for the Leeds Carnegie rugby union side and is regarded as a rising star in the game.

James was on his way to a physiotherapy session when his car spun off the A66 and hit a wall in thick fog at Stainmore, east of Penrith in February.

He suffered serious head injuries, a punctured lung, which caused pneumonia, and a laceration to his right arm.

He spent almost two months in the intensive care unit at Middlesbrough’s James Cook Hospital after suffering serious head injuries.

He was in a critical condition for several weeks.

James attended Cockermouth School and played for the town’s rugby club juniors and under-16s. He went on to play for Keswick Rugby Club.

He was also a member of Cockermouth Cricket Club.

He said this week: “I still try to get back to Cockermouth as much as I can to see relatives and friends, and I have a lot of fond memories of the town where I grew up.”

His aunt and uncle, Julie and Jonathan Nixon, still live in town but his sisters Victoria, 27, and Sarah, 28, have moved out of the area.

His father Martin now lives in Loughborough.

James, who now lives in Leeds, said he had eased himself back into training and hoped to join full training sessions in the next couple of weeks.

He added: “My training coaches are still quite cautious not to push me too hard.”

James, who has been with the Leeds club for over a year: added: “Apparently I woke up a couple of times in intensive care and I was talking, but I have no recollection of this.

“When I was in the intensive care unit I was dreaming that I was in Mexico so when I woke up fully, in Middlesbrough hospital, it was a massive shock.

“I can’t really remember anything about the accident and it was hard to believe it had happened until I looked in the mirror and realised how much weight I’d lost and how bad I looked.”

First published at 19:24, Thursday, 16 June 2011
Published by http://www.timesandstar.co.uk