Ipswich judo player who lost a leg gains his black belt

Aaron Hawkins (centre) proudly poses for a photo after winning his blackbelt with his brother Jarreth, and dad, Graeme

A judo practitioner who lost a leg after a motorbike crash ten years ago has gained his black belt.

Aaron Hawkins, 28, from Ipswich, said judo had taught him to "look at the positives".

He said after breaking every bone below his knee and eventually having his leg amputated he wanted to "get back into the sport".

Mr Hawkins, who trains at Ipswich Judo Club, wears a prosthetic leg when facing opponents.

Aaron lost his leg after a motor bike crash when he was aged 18

"So I broke every bone below my knee, lost my heel bone, broke my hip, pulled the muscles in my arm", he said about his crash, which happened when he was 18.

"A period went past when they tried to save my leg and then eventually I lost my leg."

He started judo at the age of eight after watching his father train and has won several competitions, he said.

The family, along with his brother Jarreth, train at the Ipswich club.

All he wanted to do was get back into the sport and, having gained permission to compete from the Judo Association, he worked his way up to earn his black belt.

"It was tough at times and then you had to look at the positives and judo was the positive," he said.

Aaron was awarded his black belt after years of training and was "mentally and physically strong" his dad said

His father Graeme Hawkins said: "Words don't explain how proud I am of Aaron. He's a superstar.

"It took a lot to get him back from the day I got called to the hospital, to getting him onto the mat to getting him onto to do his points and his dan [black belt] grade."

He said the moment he got his black belt was "very special and tearful".

"It just proves if you put your mind to something and you want to do it, you can do it, he's proved that."