A TEENAGER lucky not to lose his foot in a motorcycle crash has urged other bikers to heed his story and wear protective gear.

Joe Lamb, 17 and from Corfe Mullen, ended up with the skin peeled off from the top of his foot down to the tendons and his little toe hanging off after a collision with a car in Wallisdown Road, Poole, at the end of June.

At first it was feared he could lose the foot. And, despite the efforts of staff at Poole Hospital, he has lost his little toe.

Finally home from hospital after three surgeries and facing months of painful recovery, he told of his determination other bikers shouldn’t make his mistake.

Joe, a mechanics student at Bournemouth and Poole College, has been riding for two years, as do his dad and brother.

He has all the correct gear – but on that day he decided to leave the boots at home.

“Normally I do wear them, but it was a hot day and I thought I’d get away with it,” he said.

“But it’s definitely worth putting up with the sweat. If I’d had them on this wouldn’t have happened. I was wearing a jacket, gloves and a helmet – but the shoes definitely let me down.”

The teenager told the Echo when he was thrown over the handle bars his foot got jammed on the gear lever – which ‘pulled my shoe off and the top of my foot went with it.’ Having seen the damage that can be done first hand, and armed with a graphic photo from the scene to prove it, Joe is now on a crusade to convince other riders to protect themselves.

“I’ve convinced all my friends to wear boots and I’ve even stopped bikers at the side of the road,” he added.

“I’ll show them the pictures and say this is what can happen and it’s going to hurt. I’d rather tell people than let them lose a toe or worse. I’d rather stop people going through this pain.”

Despite the pain he is suffering now Joe should make a good recovery, though he may still need a skin graft if the top of his foot fails to heal properly.

He added: “As soon as I can I’ll jump straight back on the bike – but always wearing the protective stuff.”

Joe thanked the people who stayed with him at the scene.