A PANTOMIME star was given a one per cent chance of surviving a horrific motorbike crash - and “died” twice as a result of his severe injuries.

York actor Martin Barrass has spoken about his long road to recovery following the smash in September last year, and has revealed what he saw when, life slipping away, he approached the “Pearly Gates.”

And far from seeing the traditional image always associated with such scenes his vision was as different as possible - being greeted by the pompous and officious Mr Grimsdale from the classic Norman Wisdom movies of the 1950s and 60s.

Martin, who is currently rehearsing for his first lead stage role since the accident, has revealed that medics gave him a one per cent chance of pulling through, and that his heart stopped not once but twice.

“I had a one per cent chance of survival,” he said.

“The accident was last September, but I was only told about my survival chances in May this year when I visited the Yorkshire Air Ambulance headquarters to show my thanks for what they did that day when they airlifted me to the Leeds General Infirmary intensive care unit.”

Martin has said his gratitude to the air ambulance staff who cared for him will last a lifetime - and he has already begun fundraising for the charity.

The crash happened almost a year ago, on Saturday, September 10, when he was riding his motorbike home from Keswick to York.

His bike was in a collision with a car on the A59 outside Skipton, leaving Martin in a desperate condition and fighting for his life.

He has now revealed that he “died” twice, once at the roadside by the scene of the smash and once again in hospital in Leeds, but both times medics were able to restart his heart.

“Two ribs had pierced one lung, the other had collapsed, my right leg was broken by the bike falling on top of me,” he added.

The medical teams later told Martin that his survival was “a miracle” - and he now believes it simply wasn’t his time to go.

“I’m now part of an exclusive club: someone who has died and come back,” he said.

The panto star - who has been a firm favourite, alongside Berwick Kaler, at York Theatre Royal’s Christmas show for decades - also described his “Jacob’s ladder moment” during his near-death experiences.

“I’d experienced everything going black and then everything went bright white and then there was this man in a pinstriped suit with Mr Whippy hair, looking just like Mr Grimsdale in a job centre,” he said.

“So the Pearly Gates are in fact an incredibly brightly lit job centre.”

Martin is currently getting ready to play the lead role in The Kings of Hull - a specially commissioned John Godber play for the Hull UK City of Culture 2017 celebrations.

He is also hosting the Martin Barrass Charity Cricket Match at Heworth Cricket Ground in York on August 20 with all proceeds going to the Yorkshire Air Ambulance.

  • In relation to the smash a 61-year-old woman from Skipton admitted driving without due care and attention and was fined £115.