AN INSPIRATIONAL teenager is celebrating a successful year after learning to drive, moving to university and having a bionic hand fitted.

Lyndon Longhorne, 19, lost both of his legs, his right arm and the fingers on his left hand after he was struck down with meningitis as a baby.

The County Durham teenager learnt to walk unaided last year having been fitted with prosthetic legs and now, after trialling three different bionic hands, each for a fortnight, he has found the perfect fit.

“I’m still getting used to it,” he said. “I haven’t even had it a month yet but I can do things now that I couldn’t before, like getting books off higher shelves in the library and carrying those around.

“Cutting food is easier as well. It’s basic things, but they make a difference.”

After keeping a meticulous daily diary outlining the advantages of each hand, Lyndon’s feedback was sent back to the developer where it will be used to improve future designs.

The bionic hand has two sensors inside which detect muscle movement in Lyndon’s arm, one muscle tells the hand to close and the other to open.

He added: “It’s been a good year, I passed my driving test first time in May this year and I’ve moved to Manchester to study at the University of Salford.

“It was scary learning to drive at first, the instructor said there was no reason I couldn’t learn to drive using my legs, so I had about ten lessons and went in for my test and passed with one minor.

“It’s given me so much freedom, I don’t have to rely on anyone to take me places I can just get in the car and go wherever I want.

"I've had a lot of support from Duncan Bannatyne and I'm really grateful for that. He came to all of my appointments with me to get my legs and he's been great. I wouldn't be driving now without him."

The business management and sport student, from Crook, is also hoping to swim for England in the Rio Paralympics in 2016.

“I’m training six days a week at university, which includes swimming and gym sessions. I just want to continue with university, get a good degree and see where life takes me.

“If I go to Rio then that’s a bonus.”