THE chairman of Pencaitland Community Council says it is "a miracle I'm alive" after he was seriously injured in a car crash.

Ralph Averbuch was driving his red Ford Fiesta on the A6093 between Ormiston and Pathhead at about 6.45am last Thursday morning when the crash took place.

There was a major collision between Mr Averbuch's car and a silver Saab 9-3 beside the B6371 junction.

Mr Averbuch, who was taken by ambulance to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, told the Courier that he had a "couple of broken ribs, fractured bone in my right hand and hairline fracture to one of my lower vertebrae".

"I feel very very lucky to be breathing," he said. "But the car is a total write-off.

"Frankly, I feel it's a miracle I'm alive after this.

"I would like to say huge thanks to the paramedics Iain and Johnny, who insisted I get strapped up as I had no idea of the injuries I'd received at the time, as well as the receiving team in A&E at the Royal."

Police said a second man was also taken to hospital with serious injuries following the crash.

Police are now appealing for information about the crash.

PC Geoff Valentine, from Musselburgh Police Station, said: “Enquiries into this collision are ongoing. If you have any information about it, particularly if you witnessed the collision directly or have dash-cam footage, please call Police Scotland on 101, quoting incident 0472 of October 10.”