A former soldier who almost died after being blown up and shot has received celebrity backing for a project supporting disabled drivers.

Martyn Compton, 31, who grew up in Staplehurst, was serving with the Household Cavalry in Afghanistan in 2006 when his patrol was ambushed.

His vehicle was blown up, killing three of his comrades, and as he crawled from the burning vehicle engulfed in flames he was shot twice.

Mr Compton suffered 75% burns and was forced to endure more than 500 hours on the operating table and years in rehabilitation

But he recovered and discovered a new hobby, motorsport, joining a team for injured troops called KartForce.

Through KartForce, he helped form TeamBRIT, a racing team for servicemen with disabilities and mental health issues, which impressed Coldplay singer Chris Martin.

Mr Compton, who has married since he was injured and now has two children, said: “I’ve taken a few knocks in my life. I’ve been blown up, shot and died three times.

"I've experience pain and heartache that in my darkest hours I never thought I'd ever recover from. But I always got back up. I am who I am today because of what I've experienced.

"I thought I would give karting a go and I have never looked back. Two things matter to me in my life now, my family and motorsport. It's a way of life that I want to make into a career.

“This is the message I want to get across to the hundreds of thousands of my fellow injured troops who are battling with their own demons. Just as I have done, you can rebuild your life.

"Chris Martin read about us and told me he felt a connection, he felt he had to do something so he gave me a call. We’re enormously proud to have the support of Coldplay.”

Martyn is now determined TeamBRIT will become the first team of disabled servicemen to compete in The 24 Hours of Le Mans, the world's oldest active sports car race, which takes place in France each year, and they are seeking sponsors to help them reach this milestone.

Find out more and offer sponsorship here.