A father is being kept alive on a life support machine after a freak accident on a theme park ride left him paralysed.

Robert Sycamore, 58, broke his neck while riding on the Grand National at Blackpool Pleasure Beach.

Mr Sycamore had taken his great-nephew on his first ride of the day when Harry Parlour, 13, came back screaming.

Mr Sycamore was found in the bottom of the carriage with his neck broken.

Robert Sycamore (front left) on the Grand National ride with his 13-year-old great-nephew Harry Parlour, 13

Darren Parlour, Mr Sycamore's nephew, said: 'My son was with him and he's come back screaming.

'Rob's a big bloke and he was down in the footwell of the carriage.

'His ear was on his shoulder and he was totally blue and black.

'His neck snapped - the muscles collapsed and he's just melted into the seat.

'I climbed in with Rob and was holding his head so it didn't move.

'The emergency services were unbelievable - how he stayed alive, I dont know.'

The JCB driver is currently on a life support machine to keep his heart and lungs functioning and doctors have told the family he will not be able to use his body.

Mr Sycamore had the 'freak accident' while he was riding the Grand National roller coaster in Blackpool

Mr Sycamore is in hospital after the accident while he was on the Grand National rollercoaster in Blackpool

The roller coaster is themed around the horse race, with riders racing each other through Beechers Brook

Mr Parlour added: 'The surgeon said they can only take things minute by minute but any use of his body is a definite no.

'The main concern now is keeping his heart and lungs going.

'We dont know how it happened or why it happened. We don't blame anyone, we are just shocked.

'We don't know if he hit his head - only time will tell.'

Mr Sycamore is understood to suffer from spondylitis, inflammation of the vertebrae in the back, but emergency services were unable to confirm if this played a part in his injury.

He lives in Ipswich with his wife Sylvia and the family are now having to face a 700 mile round trip to visit him at the Royal Preston Hospital.

A fire damaged three rides, including the Grand National (centre), in May 2004 and the ride opened that October

Blackpool Pleasure Beach attracts millions of visitors every year who come to ride the park's rollercoasters

A spokesman for North West Ambulance Service said: 'We got a call at 12.40pm on Friday to a male patient in his 50s at Blackpool Pleasure Beach with potential neck injuries.'

A Lancashire Fire and Rescue spokesman confirmed crews had been sent to assist paramedics.

The Grand National wooden rollercoaster was first designed in 1935 and remains one of just three rides of its kind left in the world.

It is a twin track ride which sees two trains 'compete' with each other on parallel 6,600ft tracks at speeds of up to 50mph.

The ride is 62ft high and rides last just under two-and-a-half minutes. It is themed around the Grand National, with riders racing through Beecher's Brook and ending at the Winner's Post.