by Jenni Horn

Sidecar passenger Mark Cox feels lucky to be alive after a high-speed smash which left him with broken bones fighting for his life.

Eighteen weeks after the devastating accident, the father-of-two is learning to walk again and coming to terms with the fact that he will never be able to run around with his children.

He returned home from hospital yesterday (Sunday).

Mark, of Upnor Road, Rochester, was left critically ill after crashing on the opening lap of a sidecar race at the Isle of Man TT Festival on June 10.

His partner Nick Crowe, from the Isle of Man, was also seriously injured.

Video footage taken from the race helicopter has revealed Mark and Nick, who were in the lead, crashed after a hare hit the bike which was travelling at 150mph. The vehicle careered off the road and collided with a wall, crushing Nick and hurtling Mark 350 metres away from the sidecar.

Mark and Nick were airlifted to a nearby hospital. Mark’s pelvis, hip and ankle were shattered, his right arm was broken and one of his ears had been torn off.

Five days after the crash, Mark’s blood levels dropped dangerously low and his fiancee Amanda Reed was told to prepare for the worst. But Mark’s condition slowly improved and he was transferred to a hospital in Liverpool.

Mark, who has been sidecar racing for 15 years, has undergone five operations and is now having physiotherapy to learn to walk again.

His ankle was so badly damaged that surgeons were unable to repair it, so will never be able to bend his foot. Mark has a metal frame on his leg, which he may have to wear for up to a year and his pelvis and hip bone have been pinned together.

Amanda, who has two children with Mark, Mia, five, and Macauley, eight, said: “Mark will walk again but he will never be able to run around or play football with the kids. He will always have pain in his hip and pelvis. He won’t be able to ride a side car again, although he would if he could.”

Mark, who celebrated his 40th birthday in hospital on August 27, said: “It’s sad my racing career had to end like this. The crash hasn’t made me scared of racing. I would still like to race again – maybe one day I will be able to do something for charity.

“At the moment I’m in so much pain and I can’t stand but I’m determined to be walking again soon. I’m always setting myself goals.”

Amanda added: “Mark is always pushing himself. It’s his fitness and his mental strength that has got him through. He’s a fighter.

“The children missing their dad has been the hardest part. At first there were tears every night and they were always asking for their dad. It’s been heartbreaking.”