An 83-year-old cyclist who suffered serious head injuries in a fall from his bike after striking a pothole on a busy main road, has died, it’s been confirmed.

Roger Hamer, of Manchester Road, Ramsbottom, died at Salford Royal at 12.45pm on Sunday, April 4.

Mr Hamer had suffered a ‘life-threatening’ head injury after hitting the pothole on Bury New Road in Ramsbottom on the afternoon of Saturday, March 5.

Mr Hamer, who had not been wearing a helmet, was treated by paramedics at the scene before being taken to hospital.Police said that there is no evidence to suggest that any other vehicles were involved.

Earlier in March Surrey man Ralph Brazier, 52, of Thames Ditton, suffered fatal injuries when he rode over a deep pothole fell on a busy road in Weybridge.

DIA CEO Carly Brookfield commented:

‘Incidents like these are all the more tragic as they are avoidable. Although £250 million was apparently set aside in the Autumn budget (in a special pothole fund) to help fill the ruts, it’s too little money and what there is is not reaching our roads quick enough. In fact according to a rather depressing report issued by Asphalt Industry Alliance, it will take an £11.8 billion investment and 14 years to fill all the potholes currently littering UK roads.

‘Coming from Rossendale, where the latest man perished, and still visiting regularly I know how bad the state of the roads are all over the valley and also in Surrey where DIA is based. However, it is equally tragic the latest victim was not wearing a helmet either to offer some level of protection-with the roads in such a state of poor repair-and with all the other hazards they face-cyclists really must take safety seriously and wear the right protective clothing. Having lost my uncle to a similar accident I am so saddened to see people still taking these risks’.