A SCHOOLBOY who tumbled under the wheels of a cycle team's support car during the Tour de France has thanked surgeons who saved his foot, which was stripped of its skin in the horrific accident.

Ilkley Grammar School pupil Joe Lisle also thanked all those who have helped him, including Welcome to Yorkshire's Gary Verity, who paid a personal visit.

Still on crutches, Joe is recovering well from the injury he suffered during the Grand Depart on July 4, just after the world's top riders raced past him and his family on Leeds Road, Ilkley.

The 13-year-old was with parents Gareth and Deborah Lisle and brother Finn, 10, together with visiting relatives to watch the historic race from opposite Ashlands School.

"Joe was standing on a solid wooden garden chair to get a good view as the peloton whizzed by at about 12.30," said Mrs Lisle, of Little Lane, Ilkley.

"Then suddenly it became surreal and in slow motion and he was lying headfirst in the road with the support cars coming towards him.

"His 17-year-old cousin Tom saved his life by grabbing his shoulders and pulling him back towards the pavement.

"But Joe's left leg was still sprawled in the road when the first car went over his foot.

"He was only wearing Primark deck shoes and the tyre tread instantly 'de-gloved' his foot, which is the medical term for removing all the skin," said Mrs Lisle, 43 who works at her husband's web marketing firm Bluehoop Digital Limited on The Grove, Ilkley.

Joe recalled when he was hit by the Swiss IAM cycle team car - whose driver he has since met.

"I just remember stepping off the chair and then it's all black until I was out of the road," said Joe, who was helped by medically-trained onlookers."

Plastic surgeons worked for five hours to cut a strip of skin from Joe's right thigh and then wrap it like a stretched belt around his foot and ankle, protecting the exposed flesh.

None of the major bones in his foot were damaged and the foot is healing exceptionally well, although the grafted skin is still hypersensitive.

"Staff at LGI have been just brilliant and we and Joe especially want to say a huge thanks to everyone," Mrs Lisle said.

"It was just a terrible accident - the wrong place at the wrong time - and there is no question of any blame.

"Now we are getting back to normal and he wants a BMX bike for his birthday next month and we're taking him to the finale of next year's Tour de France in Paris," she said.

Mrs Lisle said Welcome to Yorkshire boss Gary Verity had visited Joe since the injury and said they would try to make that an extra special trip.

"It was great of him to visit and also the Assistant Chief Constable of West Yorkshire Mark Milsom has kept in touch too," she said.

Gary Verity, Chief Executive of Welcome to Yorkshire, said: “Following Day One, we visited two people who were unfortunately injured – this young man and of course Mark Cavendish.

"We kept in touch with both throughout and we are delighted to hear that Joe is recovering well.”