A GRANDFATHER who randomly tripped over and broke his arm says the unfortunate event saved his life – because it led to a cancer diagnosis.

George Mayne, of Northumberland Avenue, Wanstead, had been suffering from niggling pain in his arm for a few months, but put it down to old age so avoided going to the doctor.

The pain got worse and worse, stopping him from weight training and he often struggled to put his seatbelt on.

But in February, he was strolling through Kew Gardens with his wife, Brenda, when he fell and happened to land on the arm that had been troubling him.

The 68-year-old said: “It was a terrible sensation. I landed on the floor but I couldn’t get up because my arm wouldn’t move. It was like part of my body was gone.

“The sensation was horrible. I wiggled my fingers and they moved, but my arm wouldn’t.

“It was like something out of a horror film film.”

He was carted off to hospital in an ambulance, where doctors were concerned about the severity of the break after such a minor fall.

Tests eventually revealed the devastating diagnosis he feared – it was bone cancer.

Doctors put a pin in his arm to repair the break and he underwent a course if radiotherapy.

But as he began to worry about his prognosis, he feared the worst.

Mr Mayne, who is on sabbatical from his job as a black cab driver, added: “I was in the waiting room for so long it felt like a year.

“The nurse kept coming out and looking at me and it started to dawn on me that I could lose my arm.

“I built it all up in my brain. I was in such a sweat. Something else took over.

“Eventually they called me in and told me I had cancer and when it’s gone my arm would heal, I was over the moon.

“My wife asked me why I was so happy. I was so relieved I wouldn’t be losing my arm.”

Two months on from the fall, he is doing well and tests have confirmed the cancer has not spread.

He is now considering retiring from his job and spending more time with his family.

Mr Mayne is determined that his diagnosis will not affect his hobbies – playing the guitar and taking photos – and continued both while recovering from the break.

He is also planning on heading back to Kew Gardens to thank staff who helped him after he fell.

“I want to kiss the ground where I fell,” he said.

“If I hadn’t fallen over when I did, it may have been too late. I am very grateful.

“I may have gone to the doctor eventually but by that point the cancer could have spread.” I was too stubborn and assumed the doctor would laugh and said – you’re just getting old.

“If anyone has pain for a long period of time, go get it checked out.”