The family of cycling champion John Radford are continuing a bedside vigil in hospital.

Eight weeks ago today John, 69, suffered severe head injuries after coming off his bike.

He was in collision with a car in New Mill.

John, chairman of Huddersfield and District Cyclists’ Touring Club (CTC), was airlifted to Leeds General Infirmary where he remains.

John, of Meltham, is no longer in a coma, but is on a critical care ward.

His wife Pat, 65, and daughters Emma Boyes, 33, and Helen Gorman, 31, are keeping a daily vigil.

John had been showing slight signs of improvement until a setback when he had problems with his tracheotomy breathing tube.

He is now over that and Emma said: “He had started reacting to pain and it looked to us like he was following us with his eyes.

“But he had this setback which put his recovery back.

“The doctors say all this is pretty normal with brain injuries.

“You can have a few good weeks and a few bad but it’s hard for us because we haven’t been through it before and don’t know what to expect.”

Emma said the family had been heartened by all the support and wanted to keep people up to date on her dad’s condition.

Police are investigating the collision involving a Vauxhall Corsa in Huddersfield Road.

In July, John spearheaded a national CTC campaign, Road Justice, pushing for better investigation of accidents involving cyclists and lobbied West Yorkshire’s police and crime commissioner Mark Burns-Williamson.