A dad from Whitehaven has thanked the Moorclose community for rallying to help his daughter after she broke her ankle during a cycling accident.

Ian Renkin, 49, who works at Sellafield, said he was cycling with his 13-year-old daughter, and St Benedict's pupil, Isla Renkin on Saturday, when a freak accident saw her slip on leaves.

The father and daughter, had cycled 12 miles from The Highlands at Whitehaven before the accident occurred. Ian said Isla's bike slipped as she came around a corner, at a cycle path in Moorclose, just behind Workington Fire Station.

He added that their tracker showed she could only have been doing two or three miles an hour at the time.

Ian said: "My daughter braked and the bike just slipped underneath her, snapping her ankle in two places."

Ian wants to thank the three couples that stopped to help, and Workington Fire Service and the North West Ambulance Service.

He said: "I didn't get the names of the three couples, they sat with Isla and one went to get the fire service, which was nearby.

"Isla had gone into shock and was shivering and a lovely lady gave her a big hat and wrapped her in a coat. A gentleman called Andy sort of turned himself into a seat and sat with his back to Isla so she could sit upright.

"Another couple picked up our bikes and took them to the fire station, where she got gas and air and was wrapped in a blanket. I want to give a huge heartfelt thank you on behalf of me, my wife, son and Isla.

"Without those people on Saturday we would have been in a far far bigger mess and I can't thank them enough.".

She initially went to West Cumberland Hospital where her ankle was x-rayed and they transferred her to Cumberland Infirmary where they operated on her ankle to pin it.

Fortunately the accident has not deterred Isla's love of cycling and she is already planning her next ride.

She said to her dad: "Get my bike fixed, as soon as I've got this Velcro boot off I'm getting out again!"