AN ARMY reservist and health board staff member who was "brought back to life" after suffering a traumatic head injury is set to run four consecutive marathons to give back to those who helped him recover.

Paul Harrison, 38, from Dinas Powys and professional lead for General Podiatric Practice based at Cardiff Royal Infirmary, was involved in a high speed skiing crash at the end of 2016.

He is taking on this challenge over four consecutive weekends, running a total of 52 miles during this period to raise funds for Headley Court, the rehabilitation centre which treated him after his accident.

He has already run the Bacchus half marathon, the Reigate half marathon.

He will soon be running the Winchester half marathon and will finish with the Cardiff half marathon.

Mr Harrison has served for 17 years in the reserve forces and is currently part of 105 Battalion Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME).

His accident happened whilst undertaking race training as a reservist in Austria in November last year.

Mr Harrison sustained a traumatic head injury as a result which caused frontal lobe damage.

He said: “We were coming down the slope at the end of the day, doing approximately 50-55 miles per hour and someone cut in front of me.

"I hit the back of their skis and I don’t remember anything after that. I was just going too fast to think.

"I’ve been told that a man did CPR on me at the scene that I was dead and he brought me back to life."

"My next real memory after that is weeks later: I was out for 45-50 minutes after the crash I’m told.

"Following the crash, I lay in bed for a whole week. I don’t remember anything of substance from that time.

"I returned home and everything passed in a blur, November, December, January, February – I don’t really remember any of it now. Until very recently I honestly felt like it was still Christmas."

"I was having lots of problems, headaches, balance problems, trips and falls, mood variability, speech problems, memory retention, and I couldn’t sleep. Little did I know at that point in time I had a frontal lobe injury.

"My family knew something was wrong, I looked fine but I was acting so differently.

"On Boxing Day I blacked out and fell down the stairs and banged my head again, and after that I really deteriorated and my symptoms got worse.

"I was too proud to admit anything was wrong. I serve in the armed forces - I’m meant to be tough as nails.

"I hadn’t told anyone what had really happened in Austria.

"I was in complete denial about what was happening to me.

"I reached breaking point, I couldn’t do anything because of the sleep deprivation on top of everything else."

He saw a consultant in Swansea who conducted scans which revealed the damage and he was referred to Headley Court where he was treated for three months.

He said: “I spent quite a lot of time at Headley Court and met some fantastic people.

"The mutual support I received from the soldiers who were fellow patients was incredible.

"It’s been a long journey. I wouldn’t alter a thing and it has changed me fundamentally.

"The people I met at Headley Court made me realise I am fallible and not invincible. In fact, it taught me it is okay to not be okay, and it is definitely okay to ask for help.

"I’m one of the extremely lucky ones.

"Thank goodness I was I was wearing a helmet or it could have been so much worse.

"By raising money for Headley Court, I feel that in a small way I’m giving something back to those who helped me on my journey to recovery.

"I firmly believe I would still not be back in work now if I had not had the great fortune to have treatment at Headley Court."

To donate to Mr Harrison's cause, visit www.justgiving.com/paul-harrison-485.