A man who was crushed when a 2.5 tonne car fell on him has thanked surgeons for saving his leg.

David Wakely, 23, was working on his father’s people carrier on Sunday last week when it slipped off the jack.

The disc brake plunged into his leg, severing the muscles above his knee and leaving him trapped for nearly 20 minutes.

In the week since he has gone under the knife three times and is now on the road to recovery.

Speaking from his hospital bed at the Royal Sussex County Hospital he said: “I would just like to thank the surgeons for everything they have done.

“The nurses on the ward have also been fantastic, I can’t thank them enough.

“Although I will be able walk again the surgeon told me I would always have trouble with my leg.

“The damaged muscle will grow back as scar tissue so it will be weaker than it used to be.”

Mr Wakely was fixing his dad’s car in Bolney Road, Brighton. He was working underneath the vehicle on the hub when the jack gave way.

With the wheel removed, the disc brake went straight into his leg above the knee.

He said: “From the moment it went down I was in complete shock. I couldn’t feel a thing. I looked down and saw my trousers had ripped and then saw the disc disappear into my leg.

“My first thought was for my brother. He’s only 16 and I didn’t want him to see it.

“Then my mum came out and she has diabetes. I didn’t want her to panic so I put on a brave face.”

All the time the disc brake was sinking into his leg and moving closer to the bone.

He said: “I just wanted it off. With the shock I forgot all my first aid training and just wanted the car off.

“Luckily my dad waited until the ambulance arrived. The brake disc being in my leg stopped the bleeding.”

Despite three rounds of surgery, the wound on his leg has been left open with a drain to prevent infection.

His dad Neil, 46, said: “He’s currently got this tube going into the wound.

“The nurses have been fantastic.

“He’s now just looking forward to coming home.”