Jamie Cook, 19, survived the accident that killed best friend Ashley Bland and Alexander Riggall in March 2006, but has a daily battle to fight on his road to recovery.

He was left with serious head injuries and many broken bones, which eventually saw him slip into a coma that lasted six months.

Injuries to his left leg were so severe that just six months ago Jamie had to have his left leg amputated.

"He lost his leg last April," said mum Angela Cronshaw, 39.

"It was very badly shattered in the accident, and it was causing him a lot of pain. It was making no progress in rehabilitation so doctors asked him what he wanted to do."

"He could either have a bent leg or get rid of it and have the chance to walk again. He chose to have it amputated, which got rid of a lot of discomfort. He is now in a wheelchair and we hope one day he will get a prosthetic leg and will be able to walk again."

Mrs Cronshaw said that her son remembers nothing about the crash that claimed the life of the two youths, and said that it was not until several months later that she could face explaining to Jamie that best friend Ashley had been killed.

"We could not tell him because it would have caused him too much distress. It was not until a year-and-a-half later that we told him he had died. He was violently sick, the shock just hit him."

The three teens, who went to Castle Hills Community Arts College, were travelling in a car that left Walkerith Road near Morton, and ended up upside down in a ditch.

Ashley, from Lime Tree Avenue, was pronounced dead at the scene and Alexander, from Northolme, was taken to Lincoln County Hospital where he died from his injuries three days later. Jamie, a back-seat passenger in the car, was the only survivor.

He was moved to a specialist care facility in Stocksbridge a month after he awoke from the coma in October 2006, a place where he can receive the constant care of nurses on hand 24 hours a day.

"It was the best care we could offer him. It would not have been fair to him to have come back home. He needs the best care he can get. He has physiotherapy every day, and sees a psychiatrist twice a week."

"He's been doing pretty well lately, but he gets down because he can't come home. But if he wants to have a life when he does get home, he needs to get better and he understands that."

Mrs Cronshaw said that Jamie has made friends at his new home, and has taken up several new hobbies including art and cookery classes.

"He's still got a great sense of humour and he can hold a good conversation. He can also eat by himself now.