A Cornish paramedic attempting to cycle across America as part of a team of four has had to pull out just 65 miles from the finish following a crash with a school bus.

Wayne Davey, a South West Ambulance Service paramedic, had been cycling alongside two RNAS Culdrose search and rescue crewmembers and a crew manager of St Mary’s Airport Fire Section on the Isles of Scilly.

They are attempting to raise at least £20,000 for The Royal Marines Charitable Trust Fund and Children’s Hospice South West by cycling 3,100 across the west coast to the east coast.

They were just 65 miles from the finish line at Times Square, New York when 34-year-old Mr Davey was involved in a collision with a school bus.

He suffered a broken arm and shoulder-blade, but has since said he considers the injuries “pretty insignificant” compared to what could have happened.

His cycling colleagues have told him he was close to going under the back wheels of the bus, which had just overtaken the cyclists before taking an immediate right turn, they have claimed.

So angry was one of the other cyclists, Culdrose aircrewman and Royal Marine Justin Morgan, that he gave chase and caught up with the bus five miles down the road. He then forced the driver to return to the scene of the collision “like a naughty schoolboy” to speak with police.

Mr Davey’s injuries have Mr Morgan also pulling out, to stay with his team member as he receives treatment in hospital.

The other two cycle team members, Ben Carthey and John Williams, have since finished the cycle challenge.

This is not the first charity attempt involving New York that has seen Mr Davey having to be rescued.

The former Cornish Pirates rugby player was part of a team attempting to row 3,200 miles from New York to the UK in under 55 days in 2008, which had to be rescued 800 miles off the US coast when the boat capsized.