Richard CowellRichard Cowell

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Bowker Group manager to run first marathon 11 years after nearly losing leg

  • Bowker exec stages remarkable comeback after snowmobile horror
  • Accident on BMW-sponsored trip saw Richard Cowell hit a tree at 50mph
  • He almost lost a leg and faced threat to his mobility
  • But now he’s going to run his first marathon

Time 7:17 am, April 13, 2024

A Bowker Group manager is to run his first marathon this weekend 11 years after a horrific snowmobile accident saw him nearly lose a leg.

In February 2013, group implementation manager Richard Cowell suffered serious injuries, including a six-inch bone-deep gash to his left leg, after losing control of a snowmobile and hitting a tree at some 50mph.

The accident happened during a BMW-sponsored trip to Vancouver and left him with injuries that posed a significant threat to his mobility.


Yet despite doctors advising a 12-week recovery period, Cowell returned to work after just four weeks

Tomorrow (Apr 14), he will compete in the Manchester Marathon – the UK’s second-largest marathon.

He hopes to raise funds for Kieran’s Angels, a charity group formed for his friend Kieran Keigher and which supports cancer research in the UK.


‘The accident happened a long time ago now and I’ve fully recovered,’ said Cowell, who lives in Rawtenstall, Lancashire.

‘But if you’d asked me 10 years ago about running a marathon, I’d have thought you were mad, yet here I am. I’ve been training hard and am optimistic I can finish the race.’

Richard Cowell's leg after receiving stitches

Richard Cowell’s leg after receiving stitches

He added: ‘More importantly than the personal challenge, I want to raise as much money as possible for an important cause.

‘I received great medical care when I needed it and I’m very grateful for that, so if taking on the marathon challenge helps others – even in a small way – it’s a simple way I can show my gratitude.’

Anyone wanting to sponsor him can do so via his fundraising page at Richard Cowell Marathon Challenge.

John Bowman's avatar

John has been with Car Dealer since 2013 after spending 25 years in the newspaper industry as a reporter then a sub-editor/assistant chief sub-editor on regional and national titles. John is chief sub-editor in the editorial department, working on Car Dealer, as well as handling social media.



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