A CHESHIRE businessman spoke today of the moment he knew his son had won his fight for life following a minibus death crash in Australia.

Backpacker Nathan Corrigan, 25, from Lymm, near Warrington, was left critically ill when the coach crashed in Queensland, killing two fellow tourists.

But after regaining consciousness he phoned home from his hospital bed and told father Michael in a faltering voice: "Don't worry dad. Things have gone a bit pear-shaped here, but I'll be OK."

Today, it also emerged that Nathan saved his girlfriend, another passenger on the 12-seat bus, by using himself as a human shield to protect her from the impact of the smash.

They were travelling back from a day banana picking when the coach was involved in a head-on crash.

His mum Patricia, 44, jetted 12,000 miles to his intensive care bed at Townsville Hospital, North Queensland.

Today, dad Michael, 42, of Burford Lane, said: "When I heard those first words, I knew he'd be OK. He has gone through such a lot but really he is the lucky one. Our hearts go out to the families of the people who died."

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