A KITE surfer, who broke his ankle after jumping around 60ft in the air, had to grit his teeth and drag himself up Yaverland beach to safety.

Kian Forster, 29, of Sandown, who had gone out to take advantage of windy conditions, had launched himself around 60ft into the air, before coming down harder and faster than he had been expecting and landing badly.

“I had one foot in the board and the other was out,” Kian said. “It was the impact with the water that broke my ankle.

“I managed to get myself to the beach and then crawl on my hands and knees up the beach and then up the steps to the car park.

“I had some friends in the car park so I waited in one of my friends’ van while we called an ambulance.”

Many people rushed to help, including Richard Payne, who ended up taking him to A&E.

His ankle was so badly broken it required a metal plate and three screws, but that still hasn’t put him off his sport.

“I am so passionate about kite surfing. I really don’t want this to put people off the sport.”

Kian has been kite surfing since he was 14 and teaches watersports in the summer.

In the winter, he works on the mainland, but doctors have signed him off for a while to rest up.

“It is nice to spend some more time with my family as I work a lot,” Kian said, seeing the bright side of his injury.

“I want to thank everyone one who helped me out — my friends who sorted me out at Yaverland, the hospital staff who were very kind and helpful, and my family who have been amazing.”