ACCIDENT victim Paul Foster is winning a battle against his severe injuries in a courageous bid to complete his studies.

Paul, 22, was paralysed in a holiday accident three years ago, when he fell 30 feet from a hotel balcony in Crete. He fractured his skull and suffered spinal injuries, and spent almost a year in a specialist hospital in Southport.

Paul is almost completely paralysed, but still has hopes of becoming an engineer and is still studying for a HNC in engineering at Accrington and Rossendale College.

A special extension has been built for Paul at the family home in Poulton Avenue, Accrington, and the former apprentice engineer needs round the clock care. His mother Mavis said: "It was Paul's decision to go back to college.

"Things have been very difficult for him but he is very determined to finish his course.

"It is hard to say how long it will take or whether he will get a job at the end.

"We just have to take things as they come. There is no use putting a time limit on how long it will take Paul to complete his course."

Paul took up his studies after he came out of hospital but had to take several months off when he went back to hospital for further treatment.

Mrs Foster added: "It took a lot of organising to get Paul to college because he had to have a professional helper with him all the time. "Paul can just about manage to sign his name but he has to do everything else on the computer."

"Things were hard but the people at the college have been absolutely fantastic."

Paul needs to complete course work from his home, and his lecturers put him in touch with two companies who have given him specialist advice and assistance.

He said: "I am really grateful to the college and these two firms. It has allowed me to carry on studying.

Senator International of Clayton-le-Moors have built and donated a work station specially designed for Paul's needs, and Blackburn based Tech Solutions have put together a package of computer hardware and software for him.

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