The sticksman, who became suicidal as he fought to regain his health, has never flown since. In an excerpt from his book Can I Say: Living Large, Cheating Death and Drums, Drums, Drums, published in the UK today, Barker says: "I am on fire.

"I am running as fast as I can, and I am on fire. The night is dark, but I can see my way, because of the light from my own burning flesh. I have never felt this much pain in my life: it feels like everything inside of my body is boiling and trying to burst through my skin. I am stripping off my clothes as I run across a grassy field, but I am still on fire.

"Behind me, I can sense death: a burning airplane that contains the bodies of two pilots and two good friends. Less than a minute from now, it will explode.