The Royal British Legion has teamed up with the Royal Navy to help improve the life of a former Submariner who was left badly brain damaged following a horrific road collision five years ago…

Paul Reynolds, 41, from Wavertree, Liverpool, was cycling to his naval base in Cumbria in February 2013 when he was struck by a milkman on his early morning round and left with catastrophic head injuries so severe that surgeons had to remove parts of his skull to save his life.

The accident has left Paul unable to walk or talk and he needs specialist round-the-clock care which he receives as an in-patient at St Cyril’s Rehabilitation Unit in Chester.

His physio, Andrea Parry from United Rehab Solutions Ltd, suggested Paul’s quality of life would improve with the use of a bespoke wheelchair, which will fully support his shattered pelvis, so the Legion and Paul’s former comrades, raised the £10,000 needed to fund the chair.

The chair has been formally presented to Paul by Amanda Brownlie, Case Officer at The Legion, his former CPO Coxswain, Tim Clifton, Warrant Officer First Class Andy Knox and leading seamen Martin Wilson and Matthew Flagg who raised the much-needed funds to buy the wheelchair.

Paul’s father, John Reynolds, said: “I’m delighted that the Legion and Navy have paid for this new chair. It’s hopefully going to make a big difference to Paul as it’s designed specifically to support his pelvis.

“The hospital has said that Paul won’t fully recover from his injuries as he suffered a high level of brain damage, but we can only try and make him as comfortable as possible. I’m just so grateful to the Legion for being there to support him. I really can’t thank them enough.

“The last five years have been horrendous and it’s a miracle Paul survived the collision. But it just shows how strong and determined he is – just like he was in the Navy.”

Amanda Brownlie added: “It’s been an honour to join forces with Paul’s former comrades and visit him today. His physios have said this new wheelchair will help improve the quality of his life so we are glad that John turned to the Legion for help.”