Cricket fan Dave Ransom faces the prospect of never playing again after his leg was almost severed in a forklift truck accident.

Metal prongs sliced his left leg, ripping through flesh and fracturing his bones while he was at work in an Asda supermarket warehouse.

Surgeons battled for more than six hours to save his leg from amputation after the accident at the supermarket's Hollingbury store in Brighton.

His leg has been set with a brace and pins and it is not known how it will heal.

Mr Ransom, 50, of Hawkhurst Road, Coldean, Brighton, was today recovering at the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton with his wife Angela, 52, son Jason, 20, and daughter Sallyanne, 24, at his bedside.

Dozens of his friends at the store, where he works in the warehouse, have sent messages and more cards have flooded in from colleagues at the supermarket's sister store at Brighton Marina.

Mr Ransom has been a member of the Adelaide Cricket Club at Stanmer Park, Brighton, for more than 20 years.

He is the club's fixtures secretary, playing during the summer and organising the season's matches during the winter.

He has already had to miss a season as a player after he was diagnosed with diabetes last year.

Mrs Ransom said: "If he can't play, I suppose it is something he will just have to accept.

"He can't risk any other injuries to his leg. But he will still be involved with the team.

"He is very, very passionate. He lives and dies cricket."

She said: "The accident is still under investigation. Even Dave is not quite sure what happened as he was not aware of the truck."

The accident happened in the warehouse area at the store just before 12.30am yesterday.

A store spokesman said: "We are investigating the circumstances of the accident."