PLYMOUTH, Britain, April 11
British actor and comedian Rik Mayall was in intensive care Saturday, after suffering serious head injuries in a quad bike accident, a hospital spokeswoman said.
He was flown unconscious to hospital by police helicopter after the crash at his country retreat in south Devon.
The 39-year-old star was in a stable condition, according to a spokeswoman for Derriford Hospital, Plymouth.
The accident happened on Thursday when the star was using the four-wheeled machine at Pasture Farm near East Allington, in the South Hams.
The area has suffered from the torrential rain that has affected much of the rest of the country.
It is understood that the quad bike toppled on to him as he rode across a steeply sloping field on Thursday evening.
His wife came out to see why the engine had stopped, and discovered him trapped underneath and unconscious.
Westcountry Ambulance Service was called, and a paramedic asked the Devon and Cornwall police helicopter to assist because of Mayall's condition.
The star was flown to Derriford hospital, which has the area's specialist neurological ward.
Mayall bought the estate last year as a retreat for his family - his wife of 12 years, Barbara, and their three young children Rosie, 11, Sidney, 9, and Bonnie, 2.
After starting out at London's Comic Strip, Mayall appeared regularly on TV in Saturday Live, The Comic Strip Presents ..., The Young Ones, Bottom and the New Statesmen.