A YOUNG woman riding her new motorbike was hospitalised after crashing into an oncoming car.

But Zenya Bosley could have been more seriously injured had she not been wearing full protective gear.

Following the collision on Saturday evening (June 24), Zenya, 24, and her partner Sam Crook, 25, are urging anyone getting on a bike to dress appropriately.

Zenya, a till operator at Tesco, on only her second solo ride after passing her CBT, and bus driver Sam, following behind on his bike, were heading from their home in Williton to Taunton to get a KFC meal.

Following a momentary loss of concentration, she lost control and ended up in the centre of the oncoming lane, crashing into the car near Flaxpool Garage on the A358.

She was catapulted into the air and landed on the ground, suffering a dislocated ankle, some minor scrapes and a fracture.

A St John Ambulance volunteer who had been in another car checked Zenya out and handed his notes to paramedics who arrived on the scene within 15 minutes to blue light her to Musgrove Park Hospital, in Taunton.

Zenya was kept in until Monday (June 26) and her recovery is likely to take six to eight weeks.

Back home, Zenya said: "My ankle has been giving me major agony. Other than that I'm OK.

"But I'm very thankful for all the gear I was wearing.

"It's been drilled into me from when I was a kid that that kit's going to save you one day."

Sam said he is sickened when he sees riders in shorts, a T-shirt and flip flops.

He added: "Luckily Zenya was wearing all her gear, which, while now destroyed, did save her from major road rash.

"It was one of the most gut wrenching and horrifying experiences of my life to see someone I love so much go flying into the tarmac with shards of Honda and Rover flying towards me, to stare into her panic filled eyes wondering if her spine was OK, then noticing her foot facing backwards after her armoured high-top style boot was ripped from her foot by the road.

"Hearing her scream as she knew she was done for and had no escape, the muffled whimpers coming through the intercom.

"Had she been wearing what some (riders) wear, I might have been burying her soon or changing her feeding tube, or looking at my partner suffering horrible pain as they take a sanding block to open wounds to remove the gravel.

"Wear your kit, if not for you then for someone you love."

Sam said motorbike training is paramount and you should not go out onto the road unless you are fully confident.