April 30, 2019 3.09 pm This story is over 58 months old

Hand cyclist hoping for Paralympics glory after horror crash

He was competing in a hand cycling charity event when a car tried to overtake

A Grantham man who was left with a string of serious injuries after a horror hand cycling crash is training for Paralympics glory.

Daniel Metcalfe-Hall was competing in 600-mile charity hand cycling race when he was hit by a car on the A607 in Denton, near Grantham last June.

The car, which tried to overtake him on a bend, collided with a lorry before bouncing back into the path of his hand cycle.

His bike was badly warped in the crash and Daniel continues to suffer from memory loss, severe headaches and upper limb pain.

The 30-year-old took up hand cycling after he was left paralysed in a motorbike crash in 2014.

Before hand cycling crash last summer, Daniel applied to the British Cycling Foundation to train for the Paralympics.

The hand cycle was badly damaged.

“The last few months have been incredibly hard,” Daniel said. “Not only for me but for my family who I have relied on for more help.

“I don’t want to be defined by what happened to me and want to try and live my life to the fullest. I want to concentrate on the future rather than dwell on what has gone. I will continue to push myself to overcome my injuries and am determined to return to competition.

“After I was paralysed in June 2014, hand cycling has given me a purpose and a drive. I still have ambitions to compete in the Paralympics and to raise funds for charity. This is what I will be focusing on now.”

The car driver involved in the collision was charged with careless driving after Irwin Mitchell took up Daniel’s case.

As a result, the driver was ordered to pay a total of £580 including fines and court fees and had five penalty points endorsed on their licence.