Luke Bistow, from Witham, spent four months recovering in hospital after crashing his Yamaha R6 super bike along the A127 in July 2006.

The 18-year-old says he remembers nothing of the accident but admits he is fortunate to still be alive.

"People who saw me in the distance said they just saw a body being thrown up in the air,” Luke said. “Something went wrong and I collided with three traffic bollards, one of which took my left leg off below the knee. They found my foot on the other side of the crash barriers.

"I lost seven units of blood and if you think, the average human only contains about eight units, it was very touch and go. Luckily an ambulance was only two minutes away."

Although he has adapted to his prosthetic leg well, Luke also severed the nerves in his left shoulder and still has very limited movement in that arm.

Doctors are hoping that will return in two years.

Luke said that the leathers he was wearing also helped him survive, and is encouraging other motorcyclists to wear suitable gear. "I was told the leathers I was wearing saved my life,” he said. “It is essential to wear the right stuff, even if it’s hot - and to wear the helmet properly done up."

Luke does not want the accident to spell the end of his biking but says he will take an advanced motorcycle course before he returns to the road on a specially customised bike.

"I want to get back on a bike just to prove I can do it but I will definitely do an advance course,” he said. "My family were devastated after the accident. I just don't want to put them through that again. Lots of bikers think that will never happen to me. I thought that too. Think about the people who may be left behind.

"My message, especially to young riders, is just cool it."

Story courtesy of the Essex Chronicle - click here to read the original article on ‘this is total essex.co.uk’