A VETERAN soldier who turned to sport to help overcome his PTSD has been picked to take part in a cricket tournament in the Caribbean.

Jason Wilkes, from Haswell in County Durham, had not played cricket for more than 15 years when he was invited to play in a charity match against Northants Disability Cricket this summer – and found he had not lost his touch for the game.

And he is now preparing to head to Barbados tomorrow (Monday, November 3) as part of the Cricket for Heroes team.

Mr Wilkes, 40, who served in the Royal Engineers, has been supported by Help for Heroes recovery centre Phoenix House in Catterick Garrison and Veterans at Ease, which specifically helps people with combat stress-related issues.

In the army he suffered burns to his hands and face, and shrapnel wounds to his jaw when was injured in Iraq in 2006 by a suicide bomber who drove up beside the convoy he was travelling in. He recovered only to then be involved in a shooting in 2009 in Northern Ireland.

He was later diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder and was discharged in February.

Mr Wilkes enlisted the help of Durham County Cricket Club and has been receiving advice from former player turned coach, Graeme Weeks.

“I have come on quite a bit since receiving one-to-one tuition from him,” said Mr Wilkes.

“Plus, he has been giving me advice on how to cope with different ball bounces on the Barbados pitches.”

Mr Wilkes, who is married to Lisa and is father to two-year-old Jenson, said playing cricket – and golf which he also enjoys – gives him something to focus on, other than the “bad stuff” in his head.

He added: “You have to concentrate so hard on hitting the ball that you don’t have time to think about anything else.

“In between matches and tournaments, I practice regularly for the same reason.

“I still have bad days when I don’t want to get out of bed but they are less frequent now.

“I would urge all veterans and service personnel who have a mental health problem to admit to it and, that way, they will find it easier to get the help they need.”

He is the only northern member of the 16-strong Cricket for Heroes that will play five fixtures against local clubs in Barbados.

The two-week long tour has been designed to help the cricketers overcome the perceived limitations of their physical and psychological injuries in a new environment.

Through playing in charity matches throughout the year, Cricket for Heroes has so far raised more than £40,000 for Help for Heroes and raised its own funds for the tour.