Afghanistan hero with one leg is barred from disabled loo
A rOYAL Marine said to be the most injured serviceman to survive the Afghanistan campaign was denied access to a disabled toilet at a sports centre.
Corporal Paul Vice, 32, was deemed clinically dead at least twice following an explosion in 2011 which left him riddled with some 400 pieces of shrapnel and stones.
Last year he had his badly damaged left leg removed to make it easier for him to play with his four children.
But yesterday the veteran spoke of his shock after reception staff refused to let him use a disabled toilet at a sports centre.
he said: ‘I was dying for the toilet, I didn’t think it would be a big deal and as I was waiting for my taxi I went in
‘Commando who
refused to die’
the sports centre to ask if I could use their toilet.’
But he said two men behind the reception desk at the Clifton hill sports centre in his home city of exeter, Devon, said he would not be allowed in.
Corporal Vice said: ‘I know that I wasn’t using their facilities at the sports centre, so I understand where they were coming from. But my [artificial] leg is loose and I am waiting for a new leg so I didn’t want to just go on the street.’
he added: ‘I am shocked by the whole thing, and I didn’t tell them about my leg because they didn’t need to know and it is just none of their business.’
Corporal Vice was nicknamed the ‘the commando who refused to die’ after suffering 100 injuries in the Afghanistan explosion.
he was one of six injured by the blast while serving with 42 Commando in 2011 in helmand Province.
The father- of- four, who was awarded the Military Cross for his bravery during two previous incidents, received more than 114 wounds to his torso.
As well as the shrapnel and stones in his body, the blast broke his neck, damaged his left eye, deafeaned him in one ear, triggered a stroke and left him with an enduring brain injury causing partial paralysis.
his life was saved when a colleague who had escaped the blast rushed to his aid, and forced his knee into his neck to stop the bleeding.
his fighting spirit helped him to recover and he went on to win cycling and archery medals in the Invictus Games. But his left leg remained painful and almost use- less. he had it removed last year so he was better able enjoy life with wife Tessa and their children honey, Frankie, Alfie and harley.
he said at the time: ‘This is about my children. I want to be running and playing football with them. As a family, we have agreed that the best way forward for me is to have the leg amputated.’
A spokesman for the sports centre said it was unable to make a comment but pledged to look into the incident.