Dad Malcolm Tripp was rushed to hospital with a garden fork stuck through his knee after a freak accident while weeding.

Mr Tripp, 60, of Bouverie Drive, Market Lavington, fell on to the fork while working in the garden with son Tobie, 22.

The father-of-two was tending to a raised flower bed when part of the surround gave way, which made him fall on to the fork, which went through his leg.

Paramedics who rushed to the scene built a mini scaffold around his leg to keep the fork steady so the wooden handle could be cut off.

Mr Tripp was sedated and airlifted by the Wiltshire Air Ambulance to the major trauma centre at Southmead Hospital in Bristol.

Firefighters were called to the hospital to cut the steel base of the fork off, leaving the four prongs in Mr Tripp’s leg before an operation to remove them.

Mr Tripp was due to have a further operation yesterday afternoon. His condition was described as stable.

His wife, Gill, said: “The paramedics worked incredibly well as a team, our back garden was like an A&E department.

“They were all fantastic and we cannot thank them enough because it was a very tricky scenario.

“Southmead have been amazing, he was very lucky that the fork did not hit any major arteries.

“He’s pretty shaken up but feels very lucky. It was a freak accident.”

The fork did not cause any bone damage but it did injure the muscle tissue surrounding the knee joint.

Mr Tripp will require intensive physiotherapy when he is released from hospital to help the muscle tissue recover.

Mrs Tripp said: “The hospital have been giving him expert care but it’s going to be a long recovery.

“They have been fantastic, we are glad we have the opportunity to thank everybody.

“There are so many people, our neighbours were fantastic, everyone has been so supportive since.”