A CYCLIST crashing off his bike sparked a major ambulance response in countryside at Bishopstoke near Eastleigh.

Paramedics initially struggled to find the victim, a man in his 20s, who was in a remote location.

The 999 call came at 5.20pm on Saturday and five ambulance vehicles, including two from the hazardous area response team, converged on The Hub sports centre off Bishopstoke Road.

An ambulance service spokeswoman said today: “We had been given various locations for the man who had fallen off his bike, some distance from the road. It took a little while to find him.

“We found him after questioning from the control room and looking at maps. He was at least half a mile from the road, down a gravel track. Access was quite difficult, hence the reason a few people were sent.”

Eventually the man was taken to Southampton General Hospital just after 8pm. His condition was unavailable.