Richard Freshwater's racing season is back on track after a nightmare start.

The Peacehaven rider's plans were dashed when the Ducati series he had chosen to do was scrapped on the eve of the first race.

Worse was to follow when, having been offered the chance to ride in another series, the 26-year-old was involved in a road accident which almost killed him.

However, Ducati have now revived the BSB Monster S4 Challenge which means a bruised but not broken Freshwater will make his season's bow over the May Bank Holiday weekend.

Freshwater, who is still recovering from the accident three weeks ago, said: "I am lucky to be alive. I was at the side of the road for over an hour. I suffered bruising, whiplash and I was beaten up badly but nothing was broken."

After winning the BEMSEE club's Powerbike series last year, Freshwater had high hopes for this season when he was accepted into the Ducati series.

The championship, which will form part of the British Superbike Series programme, involves entrants paying a one-off fee at the start of the season, then turn up on race days and pick a set of keys out of the hat.

The nature of the competition appealed to Freshwater as the honours will be settled by skill and ability rather than machinery.

When the series was scrapped at the 11th hour due to a lack of interest, Freshwater was gutted.

His spirits rose when Freshwater was accepted as a late entrant into the Aprilia series and was promptly sent a new Aprilia bike.

The machine, though, would not start so Freshwater rode it to a friend's workshop and it was on the way that the accident happened.

Since then, Ducati have been in touch to say the series will take place after all, starting at Oulton May on May 4-6.

Freshwater said: "Ducati have decided to run the series but only over six rounds, rather than 12, at half the cost.

Freshwater said: "It will be on the same day as Superbikes, which means up to 30,000 people watching, and last Sunday we did a parade at Brands Hatch on Superbike day, which was really good.

"This is what I had planned to do from the start because you just turn up, pick up a key, ride your bike and go home.

"There were 40 people there last week but obviously not all of them will do the series. I am looking forward to it although I won't believe it until it takes place as they have promised it before.

"I want to win it. It's as simple as that."