'He went to buy a lottery ticket and lost his foot'

The wife of a father-of-two who was hit by a car and left with life-changing injuries after going to buy a lottery ticket has told how their young children only narrowly avoided going with him.

Lewis Rimmer, 41, was struck by a Range Rover in the car park of a Sainsbury's store in Bromley Cross, Bolton, on 27 October.

He was airlifted to Royal Preston hospital where he remains after weeks on life support and more than 40 hours of surgery, including the amputation of his left foot.

His wife Sarah Rimmer, 37, said he had been following his usual ritual of buying a lottery ticket each Monday but for some reason the children had not asked to go with him, as they usually would.

She said it was difficult to describe how "in the blink of an eye" her has husband's life has been changed.

"It's still really scary to think about now. He couldn't believe it - he went to buy a lottery ticket and lost his left foot."

On the day of the incident, Lewis had taken the afternoon off work to celebrate the birthday of his eldest daughter.

Driving straight from the car garage where he works, he met his wife and their two daughters, aged five and 10, at a cafe close to their home.

After lunch he went to buy the ticket and was hit just minutes after waving goodbye to his family.

It left him with a broken pelvis, fractures to both femurs, a compound fracture to his right shin and severe damage to his left foot, which could not be saved.

"Luckily both the girls were with me," Sarah said.

"They didn't even ask to go with him - and they normally would. They're always in my car, so it's like a novelty being in his.

"But no, we stood and said goodbye, told him we'd see him in ten minutes and then he drove off."

A 56-year-old man was later arrested on suspicion of causing serious injury by dangerous driving and driving whilst unfit through drugs.

Lewis, who spent three weeks on life support, was also treated for a ruptured bladder, two bowel ruptures and three fractured ribs.

Sarah said it has been very difficult for the children but she was "very proud of their resilience".

"We're both really proud of them because they've been fantastic through it all," she said.

"Your child should never have to learn what the intensive care ward is going to look like, where your daddy is.

"It just shouldn't happen, it's horrible."

A fundraiser set up by friends has raised more than £112,000 to help with the family's expenses.

"I honestly don't know what we would've done without it," Sarah said.

"I don't think I had any room to deal with anything else, it was that traumatic."

She said it was still a "long road ahead".

"He's just amazing. He's such a strong person as well.

"We decide everything together, we do everything together - so that has been really hard and really really weird to deal with - even with the children.

"I think because we've got the girls you can't just sit and wallow.

"Lewis agrees, you've got to be strong for the kids and move forward."

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