A DISABLED father will take on two sporting challenges to raise funds for the hospital that saved his son and daughter’s lives after a car crash which almost claimed their lives.

Army veteran Darren Handyside was badly injured when his car collided head-on with another on the A68 near Staindrop, County Durham, in 2012.

Mr Handyside, from Barnard Castle, suffered severe abdominal injuries including a shattered pelvis, right shoulder and fractured elbow as well as 12 broken ribs, a cracked sternum and internal bleeding.

His children, ten-year-old Jack and eight-year-old Sophie, were airlifted to the Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle. Sophie suffered a fractured skull and broken wrist, while Jack had a bleed on the brain which was severely swollen.

Now permanently disabled, the 48-year-old is still coming to terms with his new life and suffers constant pain and must use a wheelchair and walking aids to get around.

He said: “The constant pain is there all the time so you are always adapting, it has hit me really hard.

“When I think about what we have gone through and where we are now, I always say if I had turned off to Cockfield that morning or left the house five minutes later we would have missed it.”

However, the crash has not stopped him signing up for this year’s Great North Run to raise sponsorship money for the children’s ward where Jack and Sophie, now 14 and 12 respectively, were treated.

Mr Handyside will be accompanied by his sister, Michelle James, for the half marathon on September 13, as he takes part in his wheelchair.

To get his summer of fundraising off to a good start, he will also take part in the Great North Swim, in Lake Windermere, Cumbria, on June 10.

Mr Handyside, who is also father to 17-year-old Lucy, has been training every day to build up his upper body strength for the challenges.

“I cannot wait to do the Great North Run. It’s hard to do with a fractured elbow and my shoulder clicks constantly,” he said.

“I do a lot of swimming now so I’m hoping to do it in two hours 30 minutes especially now I’m watching what I eat and have a training programme.”

He has previously raised funds for Help for Heroes and the Great North Air Ambulance and Yorkshire Air Ambulance to thank them for their support.

To sponsor Mr Handyside visit justgiving.com/DarrenHandyside