A 20-year-old local biking enthusiast almost undoubtedly owes his life to his helmet.

Following an horrific accident in Greece, Alex Brace is now supporting Olympic gold medallist Sir Bradley Wiggins’s call for new legislation to make it compulsory for cyclists to wear helmets.

Alex was working as a mountain bike guide at a hotel in Kos and was out with a group of holidaymakers last month when the traumatic incident occurred.

Leading a group of about nine down a rough track which he was familiar with, having cycled it many times previously, Alex hit a water gully across the track which at between 20 and 30 mph sent him flying over the handle bars and crashing to the ground.

Those in the group went to his assistance and raised the alarm, but due to the remote location, the quickest and easiest way to get Alex treatment was to transport him in a vehicle from the hotel to the nearest medical centre from where he was transferred to the local hospital by ambulance.

“I don’t remember the accident happening,” said Alex this week. “I just remember waking up in hospital. I had a GoPro camera on my bike which captured the incident and I have been able to watch it back which was quite frightening.”

Although Alex’s head was protected with his Lazer-make helmet and he only suffered bruising and swelling to his body, it was his face sadly that bore the brunt of his injuries. He sustained serious lacerations to his mouth and tongue and broken teeth which led to a a four-and-a-half hour reconstruction operation at Morriston Hospital, Swansea, when he was flown home.

“The surgeon told us that if Alex hadn’t been wearing his helmet, he would not be here today,” said Alex’s sister Vicki. “The surgeon hadn’t seen anything so serious without anyone suffering a broken bone.

“We owe Alex’s life to his Lazer helmet. The message is definitely always wear a helmet. For Alex, wearing a helmet when he goes cycling is like putting on his boxer shorts - normal!”

Whilst Alex is recovering slowly - he is still in an awful lot of pain, finding eating and talking difficult and waiting for treatment for his broken teeth - he’s still keen to get back to the outdoor life he loves as soon as he can.

He’s just been offered a winter job at Courcheval in France where he will be able to enjoy one of his other favourite hobbies - skiing! He’ll be working as a maintenance driver for a hotel there, but no doubt will be spending his spare time enjoying the ski runs - wearing a new full face helmet he’s just ordered, just in case!

“I smashed my sunglasses, my Garmin and watch in the accident, plus I had to have all of my cycling gear cut off because they were covered in blood, but that’s a little price to pay for my life,” said Alex.

“I’ve been in a lot of pain, but I’m OK and am not saying no to returning to be a mountain bike guide next summer.”