A SOLDIER who suffered horrific injuries in a bomb attack in Iraq is hoping to compete in the 2014 Winter Paralympic Games after he was given a state-of-the-art ski he can sit on.

Mick Brennan, 33, was a sergeant serving with the Royal Signals when he lost both his legs and suffered a brain injury in the suicide bomb attack in November 2004.

He is now receiving treatment and support at the Help for Heroes Recovery Centre at Tedworth House in Tidworth where he was presented with his specially adapted sit-ski this week.

The sit-ski will enable Mr Brennan to start training for the 2014 Winter Paralympics being held at Sochi in Russia.

It is has been specially designed with a custom built suspension system and special seat that will enable him to compete at a higher level.

Since taking up the sport in 2008, Mr Brennan is fast becoming one of the country’s top disabled skiers and he recently came third in the Austrian National Championships.

A week later he won his first international race at the Italian National Championships and now hopes to become part of the British Paralympic team.

“Knowing the public and my sponsors are supporting me gives me the biggest boost,” said Mr Brennan.

“It makes me so grateful to know their funding is giving me the opportunity to progress with a new career. When I was first injured, I thought I would be limited to desk jobs so to be out on the slopes and now training for the Paralympics is just incredible. Thank you so much to Help for Heroes, my sponsors and to everyone who has believed in me.”

Mr Brennan will be putting his new sit-ski through its paces later this week at a Battle Back ski course before a further training camp in Austria.

Battle Back is an initiative supported by Help for Heroes, which uses adaptive adventure training and sports rehabilitation to help seriously wounded service personnel gain confidence and return to an active life.