DEVIZES businessman Bruce Hopkins was always hoping he would go out with a bang at his final Patney Picnic but he made an impact in a way he did not expect or want.

For Mr Hopkins ended up spending the night in Salisbury District Hospital, after falling off a garden wall at his village home at the end of the charity event.

He said: "I really did come down to earth with a bump. It had been a fantastic evening and I was just saying goodbye to a few people when I got my foot caught in a coping stone and just tumbled down.

"At first I thought I had just winded myself but then I was in agony and people made sure I stayed still. They called an ambulance and I ended up having lots of tests and spending Saturday night in hospital. They found I have cracked a number of ribs

"I can almost laugh about it now, although it is incredibly painful to laugh. It is just ridiculous how quickly something can go from being fantastic to such a drama. It was my birthday as well and the last thing you want is to end up in hospital on your birthday."

But Mr Hopkins, 69, was delighted that his last Patney Picnic raised around £2,000 which will be split between Prostate Cancer and Help For Heroes.

Singer Mr Hopkins was joined on stage by his granddaughter Athena, nine. He said: "Everyone really loved her. I think it was probably the best Patney Picnic we have ever had. Everyone was saying how good it was and so it is a shame it had to end like that.

"We had just had fireworks which were great and then that happened."

Over the nine years it has been staged Patney Picnic has raised more than £30,000 for charity. Half always goes to Help For Heroes but since he was diagnosed with prostate cancer two years ago Mr Hopkins has become a local collector for the charity which researches into the disease.

This year's was the last picnic as Mr Hopkins, who owns Devizes Fine Kitchens, and his wife Jacqueline are moving from the village to Devizes next year.

He said: "It had been such a good evening and a fitting final picnic. It was just a shame it all had to end like that. At the moment I can't do very much at all and it is very painful but I have been told that hopefully the pain will start to become less after a week or so."