Fireman left paralysed from the chest down after freak stag do accident has flown back to the UK but postponed his wedding
He felt his neck break and instructed other members of the party on correct first-aid until help arrived
A BRITISH groom-to-be paralysed after a freak accident on his stag do in Spain has now been flown home for specialist treatment.
Firefighter James Thorpe, broke his neck and seven vertebrae after tripping over in the sea in Majorca last week.
The 28-year-old from Boston, Lincolnshire, was concerned he would miss his wedding to fiancee Michaela Watson, which was scheduled for June 24.
But after arriving home on Wednesday, the pair have decided to postpone the wedding so James can concentrate on getting better, after he was paralysed from the chest down.
He has now been admitted to Sheffield spinal hospital where he will undergo specialist rehabilitation.
It is still uncertain if he will be permanently paralysed.
His legs were swept from under him by a wave while he was paddling in the sea at knee-height, and he banged his head on the seabed just hours after landing on the Spanish island for his stag do.
He felt his neck break and gave first-aid instructions to other members of the stag party and a nurse who was passing by.
James initially insisted he would make the wedding next week, but today the couple decided to postpone the Disney-themed ceremony.
Michaela, 32, said: "After a lot of consideration myself and James have decided to postpone our wedding.
"We have been planning our beautiful day for two years, we will have our beautiful day just when James is better.
"Next Friday will be tough but it's the right decision."
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Speaking from his hospital bed earlier in the week, James said: "It's devastating that what was meant to be such a happy time has turned into our worst nightmare.
"I never imagined anything like this could happen but I'm determined not to let it get in the way of our plans so I can marry Michaela as soon as possible.
"This experience has made our love stronger and I can't wait for us both to enjoy the day we have been planning together.
"Despite everything, I'm trying to think positively and do everything I can to walk again. If there's a chance I can, I will."
He has had surgery where doctors took bone from his hip to replace damaged bone in his neck.
So far, more than £10,000 has been raised by friends and family to help pay for specialist rehabilitation for James, and costs incurred as a result of the wedding been postponed.
James added:"I would like to say a really big thank you to all of my friends and family who have supported me in different ways.
"The friends who were with me at the time did everything they could, especially Ross who pulled me from the sea and stopped me from drowning.
"I'm want to show everyone how determined I am to recover as best I can."
Michaela said: "He kept really calm and luckily one of his friends spotted him going under the water or he would have drowned.
"He was directing his friends to tell them what to do and they made a headrest out of sand so he could keep his neck still.
"He was even liaising with a nurse who happened to be there to make sure he didn't do anything to make his injuries worse."
To support James and Michaela, visit .