A Rochester man who lost his leg after a crash is facing eviction - by his father.

Ashley Willoughby, 26, owes his life to the kindness of strangers after his life was saved in a horror smash.

But it is a letter from his own father that has left the electrician fearing for his future.

Ashley had been riding his motorbike to Rye in July last year when he hit a lamppost and road sign before having to be airlifted to the Royal London Hospital with his left leg hanging by a thread.

"I don't remember, but when I woke up my mum told me I didn't know anyone," he said. "They were quite disturbed."

Ashley lost his leg and also suffered a brain injury, but surgeons said it was a miracle he survived his injuries - that would have proved fatal had he not been treated at the scene by a couple on holiday from Germany.

"They had just come over for a bit of sightseeing," said Ashley. "One was a doctor and the other an anaesthetist - if it wasn't for them I wouldn't be here."

After 14 operations, Ashley began the long road to recovery. But he has been unable to work and cannot pay full rent to his father, Graham Willoughby, who owns Ashley's home in Leeward Road.

At an official meeting with his father - with Ashley's carer present - he was presented with a letter, which read: "It is with much regret that I have to serve you with two months notice by virtue of Section 21 of the Housing Act 1988."

Ashley said: "I didn't know what the meeting was about, but a third of the way through the penny dropped.

"I said 'you're evicting me'. He said he wasn't and I said 'you are, there's no other way around it.'"

Before the crash, Ashley had paid full rent and - while he admits their relationship had deteriorated - he said he hoped for more support.

"You want to come back somewhere where you feel comfortable and safe," he said. "At the moment it's the opposite. I'm just sitting tight and waiting."

In the meantime, he is still waiting to find out how much benefit he is entitled to and fears he will not receive enough money to pay his full rent.

He remains determined to return to his old job, which has been left open by his former employers.

"I really appreciate that," he said. "With my job you need to be active. You've got to be crawling around and up ladders reaching for things.

"I won't be able to do it like I did before, I'll have to make adaptations, but there's nothing holding me back. Nothing will stop me."

Graham Willoughby refused to comment.

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