A delivery driver from Ramsey blamed the sun after colliding with, and seriously injuring, a cyclist.

Liam James Mazzone, aged 21, of North Shore Road, appeared in court on Thursday.

He admitted causing serious bodily harm to the man by driving without due care and consideration on Church Road in Rushen on January 18.

The court heard Mazzone was driving towards the Four Roads roundabout in a Ford transit van when he struck the cyclist near to the entrance of the Ballakilley Estate at around 3pm.

Prosecutor Barry Swain told magistrates: ’The sun was a major factor in this particular incident. It was very low in the sky and was blinding when travelling towards Port St Mary - it was simply a case of not seeing the cyclist.’

The cyclist, who had to be flown to the UK for medical treatment, suffered serious injuries including a bleed on the brain and fractures to his vertebrae, ribs, pelvis and leg.

His recovery could take up to 18 months - the court heard he’s currently pursuing a personal injury claim.

Mazzone’s vehicle was examined after the crash and was found to have a defective windscreen washer meaning no water came out of it when it was turned on.

Mr Swain told the court it was something Mazzone had noticed moments before the collision when he went to use it. Mazzone’s advocate Jason Stanley agreed the main cause of the crash was the position of the sun. He said: ’Every witness statement in the file talks about how bright it was.’

He said his client ’fully accepted the incident had been his fault’ adding ’Mr Mazzone is clearly very remorseful.

’He is a keen cyclist himself and would never wittingly endanger anyone on the road - it’s one of those very unfortunate sets of circumstances.’

A social enquiry report will be prepared before Mazzone is sentenced on June 14. Chair of the magistrates Carol Maddrell told him: ’We wish to keep custody as an option so we’ll be seeking an all options report.’