Thousands of spectators looked on in horror as Greek racer Filippos Papfilippou catapulted off his bike just metres into a race.

But, amazingly, he was able to leap on to the metal bars of the motorcycle in front of him.

Mr Papafilippou - known as "Fast Fil"- crossed the dragstrip's centre line and collided with British Top Fuel Bike competitor Steve Woollatt in the adjacent lane.

In a horrifying tangle, Mr Papafilippou had trapped his foot under the wheelie bar, which extend behind Mr Woollatt's machine, as it hurtled 180 metres down the track at 170mph.

But, incredibly, the drag racer managed to avoid certain death by clinging for his life onto the back of the bike until Mr Woollatt slowed his vehicle to a halt. 

"It looked for all the world as though he was just sitting back on a deckchair," said one astonished onlooker.

Another added: "It was a completely freak accident and a million to one chance he would get his foot caught in the wheelie bar." 

Meanwhile Mr Papafilippou's bike continued to spiral out of control as it skidded along the track ablaze. 

Emergency crews had to cut Mr Papafilippou's foot free from under the wheelie bar and miraculously he walked away from the freak accident with just an ankle injury - caused by the track burning through his leather racing boot. 

The pair were competing in the quarter mile at a European Drag Bike racing event at Santa Pod Raceway in Bedfordshire on Sunday. 

Steve Woollat, from Hertfordshire, who has been drag racing competitively for 37 years, described his competitor as "incredibly lucky".

"The collision was totally bizarre. No one has ever seen anything like it and it has taken the drag racing world by storm. How he got his leg in that gap defies the laws of physics," he said.

"I have never been involved in a collision before, racers do their utmost to stay in lane but freak accidents do happen and we were both very lucky. Filippos is incredibly lucky he still has his leg.

"If he had hit the concrete barrier instead of me it would have been another story." 

Mr Woollatt said Mr Papafilippou had left the starting line before him, but it wasn't long before it became apparent things were going wrong.

"He was in front of me and I could see him in the right hand lane. When we were almost level I could see him coming into my lane," he said.

"I moved my right leg off the foot rest, thinking if I keep going he will miss me, then his bike hit the side of my bike.

"He hit me on my leg and I continued for another second under power, then I shut off the throttle and put my foot on the side of the bike but the foot rest had broken off.

"I slowed down under engine power, but something didn't feel right and I thought maybe I was dragging his bike down the track."

And it wasn't until Mr Woollatt looked over his right shoulder, that he was shocked to see Mr Papafilippou behind him on the bars.

He added: "I was shocked to see him there. I came to a slow controlled stop and shut everything down, then the emergency services arrived." 

Amazingly, Mr Woollatt managed to return to the track and won the race - even equalling a personal best.

Mr Papafilippou was rushed to Bedford Hospital, but arrived back at the track after a couple of hours.

He later posted on Facebook: "All fine Official Santa Pod Raceway and thank you for your amazing, stunning, professional, well trained, experienced crew that brought us quickly back in shape.

"Do we earn any special money prize for such a unique matrix move?" 

A Santa Pod raceway spokeswoman said the moment was one they will "never forget". 

"This unexpected pillion ride is one that Fast Fil will never forget and it will live long in the memory of everyone at Santa Pod who saw it," she added.  

At full speed, a Top Fuel Bike can develop 1,500 horsepower - around twice the output of a Formula One car - and can reach over 220mph in six seconds.