A father has made a desperate plea for information as his teenage son lies in a coma after his windpipe was almost severed by a rope strung between two trees.
Connor Cahalane-Toon, 16, was on his motorbike when he rode straight into a neck-high rope in woodland.
The rope hit him just under his Adam’s apple and almost severed his windpipe meaning the teen could never speak again.
Detectives believe the rope was either strung up in a prank gone wrong and the culprits are now too scared to come forward or it was maliciously placed there.
Connor’s devastated father Michael Cahalane, 38, yesterday(Fri) begged anyone with information to come forward.
Lorry driver Michael, of St Neots, Cambs., said: “He is in a really bad way.
“He has had a big operation to patch him up, which went well but they have put him into a coma so that he keeps as still as possible.
“We don’t wish any malice on the people that did it. We don’t think it was directly aimed at Connor, because there is no way anyone could have known he would hit the rope.
“It could have been one of his friends and we would be sitting here worrying about them, but it was Connor who was riding at the front.
“Whatever the reasons, we just want whoever has done this or anyone who has any information to come forward, even if what they know is very small.
“Connor may never speak again, he might have to learn to speak again we just don’t know, we’re taking each day as it comes.
“But it’s important we find out who did this because Connor has been left like this because of their actions.
“It’s going to be a long road to recovery when he does come round, he may need more surgery over the next year.”
Michael understands that if medics had got to Connor just five minutes later he could have lost his life.
Even when he recovers, Connor’s injuries will be life-changing and he is expected to remain in a medically-induced coma until next week.
He has undergone surgery to repair his windpipe and has been temporarily taken out of the coma and was able to open his eyes and squeeze his parents’ hands.
Connor was riding with two friends on Friday afternoon (24/4) in the wooded area in St Neots, Cambs., when he was injured.
His friends took him straight home where his mum Nicola Toon, 38, a childminder, rushed him to hospital.
Nicola said: “I got a text from Connor saying he had been hurt and couldn’t speak and could I take him to hospital. He kept giving me the thumbs up.”
Det Const Tom Nuttall said: “The main message I want to get across is that parents ask their children if they know anything or if they saw anything suspicious in the area on Friday afternoon.
“We have two routes of enquiry that are going down at the moment. One of those is that it was a malicious act by a member of the public.
“Another theory is that it was just a prank gone wrong.”
Anyone with any information is asked to call 10
