A RIBBLE Valley war hero badly injured in Afghanistan wants to help veterans suffering from mental health problems.

Sergeant Rick Clement lost his legs in a bomb blast in the country’s Helmand province in 2010.

The 35-year-old former Chatburn resident said his charity, A Soldier’s Journey, is looking to put on a host of education talks by a qualified therapist for people with post-traumatic stress disorder (PDSD) and depression.

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He said: “It will show how your brain works and what causes it, along with some useful coping methods and lots of other info.

“There will be refreshments and it will be a good chance for others in similar situations to meet.”

While leading a foot patrol in May 2010 with the 1st Battalion Duke of Lancasters regiment, Rick stepped on an Improvised Explosive Device (IED), a crude Taliban-made bomb, and was badly wounded.

As well as losing both his legs, the former Clitheroe Royal Grammar School student almost lost his right arm, and suffered appalling internal injuries. Doctors told him he was lucky to be alive.

Since then, Rick has been both married and divorce, retired from the Army after 16 years of service, and campaigned for the Ministry of Defence to introduce a system allowing soldiers to provide sperm samples before going to war zones, so they are still able to have children should the worst happen.

Rick said the talks would be free and would be held in the Blackpool area, where he now lives.