Beverley bomb blast veteran recovers from shattered leg to walk bride down aisle

• Video report by Astrid Quinn

An army veteran from Beverley, whose leg was shattered after he was blown up in Afghanistan, was able to walk his bride down the aisle in an emotional ceremony.

Ben Bainbridge was 18 and fighting the Taliban with the 2nd Batallion of the Yorkshire Regiment when a road side bomb exploded next to him in 2013.

He was left with a shattered left leg and a punctured right lung.

His injuries were so severe that when he was treated by specialist medics, he had only two pints of blood left in his body.

Ben survived against the odds and, despite severe nerve damage to his leg, has now he reached a milestone in his recovery, managing to walk at his wedding thanks to a customised leg brace funded by Help for Heroes.

He walked fiancée Steph Denn down the aisle at St Michael's Church in Skidby.

Ben said: "Usually my ankle is hypersensitive but this leg brace feels comfortable as it fits on the outside of my shoes and goes up to my calf so stops my foot from flopping."

He said he had been looking forward to walking up the aisle on his wedding day and having people stare at him "for the right reasons".

Steph said: "When Ben stood up and walked for the first time in the new leg brace, I cried, it felt so amazing. It was overwhelming because just being able to walk has been a daily struggle for him for 11 years."Help for Heroes has been there for both of us."

Ben's left leg was paralysed as a result of the blast meaning he often stumbled or tripped over but the new leg brace successfully holds his foot in position.

A spokesperson for Help for Heroes said: "Everyone at Help for Heroes wishes Ben and Steph a lifetime of happiness together as they start this exciting new chapter.

"His customised leg brace, which was funded by Help for Heroes, has massively improved Ben and his whole family's quality of life."