Amputee 'empowered' by return to motorbike, says mum

Ted Spurrell rode a motorcycle for the first time since his accident at an event in Silverstone

A teenager from East Sussex who lost his leg in a motorbike crash has been "empowered" by getting back on a bike for the first time since his accident, says his mum.

Ted Spurrell, now 18, was involved in a collision with a car on the A27 near Selmeston when travelling home on his motorbike on 15 December last year.

Injuries sustained by the Hailsham teenager meant that he had to have his leg amputated just above the knee.

Almost eight months on and mum Sasha Spurrell said Ted was "doing well physically, but psychologically it [the amputation] has taken its toll".

Ted pictured with mum Sasha (right) and Jayme Guthrie, who was one of the first people on the scene following his accident

However, Ms Spurrell said her son had been boosted by getting back on a motorbike for the first time since his accident.

This opportunity was made possible by The Bike Experience, a Surrey-based charity which helps those with disabilities or severe injuries to ride again.

Ms Spurrell said: "The whole Silverstone experience he [Ted] did the other day was fantastic...it makes you feel empowered."

While physiotherapy has been something of a "brutal awakening", in the last two weeks Ted has got a properly-fitting prosthetic limb.

"There's been a lot of trial and error when it comes to fitting a prosthetic, because the knee to thigh bit has been difficult to get a fit for," she explained.

Until this point the 18-year-old was forced to use crutches, meaning he couldn't use his hands freely.

Ted is now walking about an hour and a half each day with his new limb, which for Ms Spurrell is a positive development.

Another positive is that Ted received a B and two Cs in his A-levels last week, leaving him feeling "buoyant".

He is now thinking about taking a year out, having originally considered following his father into a quantity surveying career.