As flames flickered in the wreckage of Peter Langdown’s mangled car, the 19-year-old lay seriously injured with a five-foot fence post impaled through his chest.

His life hung in the balance, but the actions of two complete strangers and a remarkable team of medics saved the teenager from certain death.

Now his remarkable story of survival has been shared with the nation this evening on a new ITV show.

WARNING: Graphic image below

Peter, now 32 and living in St Stephen’s Road, Canterbury, had to have his left arm amputated following the crash, but admits he is lucky to be alive.

He says watching the dramatic reconstruction of the accident was surreal.

“I hadn’t quite realised the extent to which they had put their lives at risk trying to save mine,” he said.

“I was really humbled. It makes you appreciate life that much more.”

Rookie driver Peter lost control of his car as he tried to overtake a motorbike and clipped a kerb, sending his car careering into a fence.

Travelling towards the crash scene in Rye was Neville Powell, who discovered an engine in the middle of the road and the car in a ditch.

Neville rushed over and saw the passenger - Peter’s cousin Adam - was OK, but quickly realised Peter was in trouble.

A wooden fence post had impaled him through his chest and into his seat.

Another passerby, insurance manager Tim Slater, then arrived on the scene and he and Neville used brute force to get the Adam out of the car.

An electrical fire had started near the dashboard and Neville knew the fuel delivery pipe was close by.

“It’s not like the movies, where there is some dramatic build up to an event where your life changes. It just happens when you least expect it" - Peter

The men eventually freed Peter from his seat, pulling him out of the passenger door with the post still impaled through his chest.

As they dragged him to the other side of the road, the car exploded into flames.

Peter said: “It was pure luck that random strangers drove past. I literally owe them my life.

“Seconds after they pulled me out the whole car burst into flames.

“I was awake the whole time but don’t remember much because of the head injuries I suffered.”

Peter was put into an induced coma and underwent six operations, almost dying in hospital three times.

Doctors managed to save his life, but could not save his arm, with the fence post severing the main artery and cutting off the blood supply.

“They had to wake me up to get me to sign a form saying I consented to the amputation,” Peter said.

“Obviously it was very hard to come to terms with, but you have to try not to let these things get to you.

“The thing that is really crazy is that your life can change at any given moment.

“It’s not like the movies, where there is some dramatic build up to an event where your life changes. It just happens when you least expect it.

“You have to stay strong.”

And Peter has did just that, returning to university within months of the crash and later launching his own graphic design business, Emagine Create.

He has even set up a website to help create a community for those who have lost an arm.

“I am trying to bring people together with one arm and empower people,” he said.

“I’m going to put tutorials on the website showing people how to cook with one arm, how to lift weights and swim properly and even tutorials on things like getting dressed.

“Two arms are for lazy people.”

Peter’s story is on ITV at 9pm.