Cumbrian cricket star Ben Stokes says he feared for his life after choking on a tablet in his hotel room.

The England hero is preparing for the start of the Ashes in Australia.

And the Cockermouth all-rounder has used his national newspaper column to describe the frightening moment when he "wondered whether I would make it".

He said "a simple tablet went down the wrong way" while he was alone in his hotel room.

"It got stuck in my windpipe causing me to choke horribly before the glands in my face went into overdrive to flush it out," he wrote in The Mirror.

"Until it actually came out, I thought this might be the end.

"We’ve all had those moments when something gets stuck in the throat, and usually someone can help you out.

"But I was on my own in my room and I couldn’t breathe as it became lodged and started to dissolve. It felt like my mouth was on fire.

"Without going into too much detail I have never seen as much saliva as I did on Sunday morning - it was a genuinely frightening experience.

"The team doctor came to see me straight away and she explained what had happened with the body reacting the way it did. I’m glad it did, even though I was a mess."

Durham star Stokes says he was relieved to have overcome the incident and train as planned later that day - when he suffered another scare.

He said he was struck on the forearm by a ball from batting coach Jonathan Trott.

"I was in agony, and I couldn’t lift it thereafter. I thought it was broken," he added.

"Thankfully the pain and reaction settled down once I was back in the dressing room and the physios could be sure it wasn’t actually a break.

"It was only after I got back to my hotel room that I took stock of what a day I’d had. The adrenaline had worn off and I was exhausted. Happy that I’m here to tell the tale, but hoping that my pre-Test dramas are now over."

Stokes has returned to cricket after taking an extended break this year to prioritise his mental well-being and also to rest an injured finger.

He said he is now in a "good space" mentally as England build up to the first Test at the Gabba next Wednesday.