'My life has been a whirlwind since Colombia crash'

Luke Tarrant said people now recognised him and spoke to him in the street

An adventurer has told how his life had been a "total whirlwind" since losing his leg in a motorcycle crash in South America six months ago.

Luke Tarrant, 29, from Bedford, said no longer having two legs had "impacted my life hugely".

In May 2024, he crashed his bike in Colombia and was left fighting for his life in hospital after contracting sepsis.

He said he has had to adapt to no longer being "spontaneous" as he has to plan just to have a shower.

While in hospital Mr Tarrant contracted sepsis, had blood clots and fluid on his lungs, while suffering from a broken collarbone, fingers, hand and right leg

Mr Tarrant said he does not remember the crash, which happened close to Medellín, Colombia.

After spending a month in hospital he was sent, via air ambulance, to a trauma ward in London, and then to an amputee rehabilitation unit.

"Honestly, it's been a total whirlwind," he said.

"I go to bed and I have a dream about normal life, walking down the beach with two legs and getting on my bike - and then I wake up."

While in hospital in Colombia his parents, Daniela and David Tarrant visited him, and took him outside so he could have an ice cream

He said before his crash he had about 1,500 Instagram followers, as he used the platform to update people about his condition.

He now has about 324,000.

"Before I had a fairly negative view of social media, as it can be used as a way of showing off," he said.

"I'm trying to use it as a force for good. I try to be completely honest - if I'm having a bad day, I will speak about it."

Luke is now rowing again, an activity he used to do as a child

"I will say if I can't put my prosthetic leg on and that I've been in a wheelchair for four days", he said.

"I never used to think about things too much and just hop out of bed, go on a trek, go to a waterfall, be spontaneous, but now even if I have a shower I have to plan.

"It's the opposite of how I used to live.

"I didn't anticipate being back in the UK having one leg. I didn't plan on thinking about the future."

Mr Tarrant attended the Pride of Britain awards on 21 October

The gym enthusiast, who now lives in London, gave up his five-year career in investment banking to travel.

He has now taken up rowing again and has ambitions of possibly joining the Paralympic rowing team.

A film telling the story of what happened to him is also being discussed.

"I've realised life can't be predicted, I feel like I'm in a weird parallel universe," he said.

"I've met people who I never thought I'd meet, I've been invited to events I would not have been invited to, like the Pride of Britain Awards, and I've had experiences I never dreamed of, both good and bad.

"My goal is to have an interesting life - while it has been tough - no one can't say it hasn't been an interesting one."

Mr Tarrant said when he was feeling bad he pushed himself to go to the gym and keep fit