Myles Fothergill in good spirits and good humour following fall at Whanganui & Partners public forum

Myles Fothergill is in good spirits and good humour after suffering pain in his head and falling at a Whanganui & Partners public forum. Photo / File

Myles Fothergill is in good spirits and good humour after suffering a fall at a public forum for Whanganui & Partners on Tuesday night.

The event was called off after Fothergill felt a pain in his head when addressing about 200 people at the Whanganui War Memorial Centre concert chamber.

The Whanganui & Partners chair was trying to introduce chief executive Mark Ward to attendees, but was not able to do so.

Ward said that Fothergill told the gathering he had lost his train of thought and started to speak again.

"Then he said 'no I've still lost my train of thought' and that's when I jumped on stage and said 'well Myles, why don't I introduce myself?

"At that point he said 'no I'm not feeling well' and that's when he started to lean on me."

Ward gently laid Fothergill down and they used banners for the event to shield him from those in attendance.

Whanganui & Partners strategic lead - business Rhonda Morris is a trained medic and was able to help out, as was a member of the crowd who was a retired nurse.

Fothergill was taken to hospital for treatment, although Ward was not sure whether he was still there or not.

"We've had no official report from a medical professional, but we've got reports from close friends that he's doing well, is in good spirits and good humour as well," Ward said.

"That's the old Myles. We all took a fright when he had a bit of a lapse in his thinking and a bit of a pain in his head.

"Even though I've only worked with Myles for three months, I've got the utmost respect for him. It was like seeing a very close friend go down which no one ever wants to see."

Fothergill sustained a series of serious injuries when he crashed his motorcycle during a practise lap in 2016.

He suffered broken ribs, fractured vertebra, a broken collarbone and a punctured lung in the crash.

Fothergill has 35 years experience in the marine industry and is the managing director of Q-West boat builders on Gilberd St in Castlecliff.

For most of Tuesday, he and Ward were at a board meeting with a full agenda, during which Fothergill seemed to be fine.

Ward said that the public forum will now take place on May 14 in the same location at 5.15pm.

"Myles was really keen to get our key messages across and hear from the public," Ward said.

"My understanding is he'll be back fighting fit."