An army veteran from North Staffordshire has praised staff at the Royal Stoke for helping him reach his goal of competing in the Invictus Games following a bike crash.

Rob Shenton, who served in the British Army for 25 years, broke his neck and fractured his skull after falling off his bike while training in 2020. 

He was treated and guided through an eight-month rehabilitation programme at the Royal Stoke's Acute Rehabilitation Trauma Unit and went on to represent Team GB in Nordic skiing and indoor rowing at the Invictus Games this year.

Now the 53-year-old from Biddulph Moor has returned to the hospital to thank staff for helping him reach his goal of competing in the games. 

Rob presented his Team GB kit to the staff who supported his rehabilitation and it will now go on display at the Royal Stoke. 

Rob said: "None of this would have been possible without the incredible staff at UHNM. 

"I really wanted to make the donation to say thank you for all the work they have done because they quite literally saved my life. 

"Having been in the rehab gyms at Royal Stoke and being at that low point having the collar on my neck and almost learning how to walk again, I thought this might inspire somebody to keep going. 

"In just over four years I've gone from taking a few steps at the side of my bed and climbing a few steps in the corridor, to competing in an international sporting event."

Founded by Prince Harry, the Invictus Games is multi-sport competition for wounded or sick military personnel and veterans.

Rob had previously applied to take part in the Invictus Games three times, and it was while he continued to train that he had his biking accident. 

The accident resulted in him breaking six vertebrae in his neck along with a fractured lower skull and left shoulder socket. 

He has served on missions in Bosnia, Kosovo, Northern Ireland and Afghanistan during his career and was medically discharged from the army due to mental health problems.

Rob added: "It has been a difficult recovery, I have lost a lot of movement in my neck and about 65 per cent mobility of my spine.

 "After being medically discharged from the army with mental health issues eight years ago, it has been a life goal of mine to compete in the Invictus Games and this was the fourth time I'd applied to be part of the team. 

"I was very lucky to have been able to take six-month off work beforehand to train on my strength, conditioning and endurance. 

"I knew in some cases I'd be competing against people 20 or 30 years younger than me, so concentrated on getting as fit as possible so I could hold mine own against them." 

UHNM's Armed Forces Champions team provides holistic support to members of the armed forces community receiving care at the Royal Stoke and County Hospital, Stafford

Michelle Parkinson, senior therapy technical instructor, was involved in Rob's care at the hospital.

She said: "Seeing people like Rob makes your job all the better.

"You come to work every day wanting this sort of thing to happen but often never see the end of the journey, so to see how well Rob is so rewarding, and to think he has competed the Invictus Games is amazing."