Barnoldswick Paralympian's incredible journey back to sport

Former soldier Mark Brown, who has competed in long-distance running at three Paralympic Games including in Sydney in 2000 and Athens in 2004, was left in a wheelchair after undergoing bone reconstruction surgery two years ago.

He then took part in the Everest Marathon - on the world's tallest mountain in the Himalayas - for a children's disability sport charity, but picked up a rare bone disease which for a decade.

The father-of-two's meteoric rise to long-distance running glory began after hitting rock bottom when he was medically discharged from the army at the age of 25 after losing an arm in a motorbike accident.

Mr Brown, who is now 59 and from Barnoldswick, had recently returned from a tour in Northern Ireland, with what was then the Queen's Lancashire Regiment.

In 1982 he was on duty heading back to the barracks in Tern Hill, Shropshire, when he was involved in a motorbike accident and suffered a spinal injury, leaving his left arm paralysed.

Three years later, after exhausting all his options, Mr Brown took the brave decision to have his arm amputated and "the rest is history", he said.

Mr Brown added: "There wasn't much leeway in the military back in those days, you could either do the work or not, so I was medically discharged in May of 1982.

"After multiple attempts at trying to get my arm fixed, I decided having it amputated was the best choice for me.

"I was in a bad place at the time and drinking heavily - using alcohol as a crutch, because having a flail arm at 25 was very taxing mentally."

Unable to carry out physical work, Mr Brown returned to college and joined an employment course where a friend convinced him to accompany him running.

He enjoyed the experience so much that Mr Brown decided to join the Clayton Harriers, a local athletics club.

He said: "I was really surprised how receptive they were. I ran with them for three or four years, becoming better and better, and more and more confident.

"My outlook on life had completely changed and one of my running colleagues asked if I had ever thought of competing with the British Amputees."

Mr Brown was invited to compete in a training weekend in December 1993 after writing to the governing body several times.

Six months later, he was competing in a crowded stadium at the 1994 World Championships, where he took bronze in the 10,000 metres.

He said: "It just took off from there and my confidence grew and my life just went haywire really.

"I went to the Paralympic games in Atlanta in 1996 and got a bronze in the marathon - I had to dig really deep because the wheels were coming off towards the end.

"Then Sydney in 2000 where I had my best race ever and was only a minute-off winning gold."

Mr Brown almost threw in the towel after tearing his hamstring during a qualifying race in Lille prior to the 2004 Games, but his coach talked him around.

He continued: "I was 42-years-old when I competed in the Paralympics in Athens in 2004 and the oldest guy there by a long shot.

"The competition was fierce and I finished fifth, but I achieved my lifetime best - 5,000 metres in about 15 minutes and 22 seconds.

"After the race, my mentor and coach Wayne Buxton pulled out a small flask of whiskey and said here's to your career."

A year later Mr Brown was invited to run the highest marathon in the world around Mount Everest for a charity called Get Kids Going which he describes as the "toughest race of his life".

But when he returned to the UK, he began experiencing joint pains and was forced to give up running.

Despite trying various treatments including steroid injections, his condition deteriorated over the next 10 years.

A doctor in Leeds was finally able to diagnose Mr Brown with a very rare degenerative bone disease around his pelvis.

He had to undergo bone reconstruction surgery and a synthetic bone transplant was performed, leaving Mr Brown in a wheelchair for four months.

Since the operation he had to learn how to stand and walk again and has since taken up cycling on an adapted bike to aid his rehabilitation.

Mr Brown, who has six grandchildren, said: "The doctor said he could operate but that I would be in a wheelchair for months before I was able to walk again.

"I thought in for a penny in for a pound - I had already made two big decisions in my life, so I had the operation in December 2020."

Mr Brown's rehabilitation has been made easier thanks to Avaris' Free Ride to Recovery Initiative, a scheme which sees refurbished eBikes donated to people across the UK with serious injuries or conditions.

He said: "I don't run anymore, but I've starting walking again and can take the bike out.

"I'm actually planning a ride up the west coast of Scotland later this year.

"The e-bike has been a great stepping stone and I'm extremely grateful, because without them, I wouldn't be where I am today."

Mr Brown, who worked for the NHS as a senior nursing assistant among other roles, has been using the Avaris 2.3 Road eBike which has been adapted for him to use with a prosthetic arm.

Company founder Richard Heys said: "We can't sell returned eBikes as new, even if they have been completely refurbished by our trained technicians.

"We knew it would be such a waste if they weren’t put to good use, so we have decided to help people in need, because this is something that as a company, we’ve always wanted to do.

Between one and three people are selected to receive an eBike every month depending on stock.

The innovative bikes have nine levels of pedal-assisted power and can run for almost 50 miles, making them suitable for commuting as well as leisure rides.

Mr Heys said: "The project is still in its early stages, but we’ve had fantastic feedback so far.

"Many people living with health limitations are unable to use traditional bikes or take part in other forms of exercise, but cycling with pedal assisted power allows them to ride at their own pace and stay within a certain heart rate if they need to.

"We’re really happy to be able to use Avaris eBikes to make such a positive impact on the lives of others.”