Missing motorcyclist found alive after three days in water-filled ditch

Police said the 40-year-old man is thought to have crashed into a signpost (Getty Images)

A motorcyclist has been found alive after lying for almost three days in a ditch in South Yorkshire.

Police said the 40-year-old man is thought to have crashed into a signpost before coming to rest in the six foot ditch, where he could not be seen from the road.

The man, who is from Goole in East Yorkshire, was reported missing by his partner after he went out on his bike last Tuesday.

Police had carried out a massive search for the man.

Inspector Rob Cocker told the BBC: "All officers feared the worst and it was very pleasing to find the man alive."

The man was reported missing after he failed to attend work the day after his partner had last spoken to him.

Police carried out a systematic police search, known as POLSA, which included searching rivers, fields, reservoirs, ditches and houses after establishing that the man's phone had not been used for at least 24 hours.

Traffic officers also checked roads and ditches with the help of the force helicopter.

Officers checked the man's home, work, hospitals and police stations and found his new motorbike was also missing.

Last Thursday police found some parts of the motorbike on the A614 near Thorne.

After a thorough search the man was found in the ditch between East Cowick and Thorne.

He was breathing and conscious when he was found lying in water at the bottom of the ditch.

The man reportedly suffered broken ribs and hypothermia and was taken to be treated at Doncaster Royal Infirmary.

Inspector Cocker said: "Telephone analysis showed that the man's texts and call pattern was completely out of character. The analysis also gave the police a large search area in a predominantly rural part of the county.

"Even with a helicopter it is impossible to check every overgrown ditch and crevice and the only way to be 100% sure is to search on foot using officers on the ground.

"This was a large scale missing person inquiry and required resources being pulled in from Scunthorpe and Hull and the use of the South Yorkshire Helicopter for three days.

"All officers feared the worst and it was very pleasing to find the man alive and hope him well with his recovery. It is a credit to his determination that he is still alive."