Paralympic swimmer ‘grateful’ he lost his leg in crash

A man who lost his leg after being hit by a car as a 10-year-old has said he wants to thank the driver for changing his life “for the better”.

Mark Williams went on to become a world champion swimmer and won a silver medal at the 1988 Seoul Paralympics before setting up his own company.

He said the unknown driver of the car that hit him as he cycled home in June 1982 might now be in his 80s and could be “traumatised” by what happened, but wanted him to know that “amazing things” had happened to him as a result.

“My biggest fear is that he doesn’t know my story. I just want him to send me a message, just get in contact,” he said.

Mark was 10 years old and cycling home from school on the day Prince William was born on 21 June 1982, when the crash happened.

“I had just passed my cycling proficiency. I got top marks – I was the safest rider,” he said.

“I had the certificate in my rucksack and I was riding home to show it to my mum and dad.”