A former Bury College student who suffered severe spinal injuries in a car crash has been awarded £3.75 million in compensation - but he says the money will never repair his emotional scars.

Usman Ditta, aged 23 was a passenger in a car which collided with a wall and an advertising hoarding in 1999 when the driver, Naseer Ahmed, lost control of the vehicle in Manchester.

Usman broke his back in several places, and is now a tetraplegic who will need to use a wheelchair for the rest of his life.

He has very little function in his arms and muscle power is restricted to his shoulders and biceps at the elbow. He cannot use his legs at all.

The accident also left him with a head injury, lacerations to his face and scalp, and a contusion of his left lung.

After being discharged from hospital in early 2000, Usman went back to live with his parents, three brothers and a sister at their home in Cheetham Hill.

But the house was unsuitable, and he was forced to live entirely in the downstairs front room, where he slept and spent each day, with no room to have therapy or access any other rooms.

The family decided to move into another house nearby, and had the property specially adapted for Usmans needs.

He is looked after by professional carers, but the burden falls mainly upon Usman's family, without whom he says he could not cope.

Before the accident, he was a student in business studies at Bury College, but he will never be able to resume the course and will depend on the care of others for the rest of his life.

Naseer Ahmed's insurers agreed to pay the damages during a court hearing in Sheffield, and the money will be used to provide care for Usman throughout his life.

But Usman, who does not remember the crash, said: "Of course it will provide care, which will help, but it cant do anything for the emotional problems Ive suffered.

"I'm paralysed from the shoulders down and find things very, very difficult. It has been a very hard time for me and my family.

"I can't do the same things anymore, but I'm determined to get on with my life."

Usman says that the Government needs to do more to educate people about those living with disability.

He said: "So much more needs to be done, especially for younger wheelchair users.

"It's surprising how little people actually know about disability - they don't realise because they don't have to live with it.

"Shops think a ramp is all that's needed - but aisles need to be wider and facilities in most of them need improving.

"I hear about government cuts in care and it's upsetting. Surely they should be opening more care centres and family respite places? There are so many provisions for the elderly, but not for youths living with disability. It needs to change."