A FORMER soldier who had his legs amputated after stepping on a roadside bomb in Afghanistan more than five years ago has taken his first steps since the explosion.

After recovering from serious internal injuries and having prosthetic legs fitted to a unique hip socket, Rick Clement, a former instructor at the Infantry Training Centre, Catterick Garrison, has posted a video of him walking unaided on Facebook, which has been viewed more than 950,000 times in two days.

In a message alongside the video Sergeant Clement, whose military career spanned almost 17 years, said: "Please like and share my first real steps towards the cenotaph.

"A long way to go, but I'm so chuffed with the start."

A few big steps for A Soldiers Journey.

Posted by A Soldiers Journey on Tuesday, July 21, 2015

Sgt Clement, who is aiming to raise £250,000 for newly-disabled soldiers and their families, said his ambition was to lay a wreath for his fallen comrades in November.

The 35-year-old, who is among Britain's most injured veterans, said it was thanks to the excellent training and quick thinking of his troops that he had survived the pressure plate bomb blast while leading a routine patrol.

The incident came as the ex-sergeant in the 1st Battalion Duke of Lancaster's Regiment, which is based at Somme Barracks, in the garrison, was five weeks into a tour of Helmand Province.

He said: "It was a miracle I even survived or rather a credit to all the medics on the ground, the ones on the helicopter that picked me up and those back at Camp Bastion."

Despite intensive rehabilitation and a year of trying to use prosthetic limbs, Sgt Clement initially found it was impossible for him to use prosthetics due to the height of his amputations.

But after recent developments enabled health workers to create a special socket that he could fit around his waist, he said his ambition to walk again, unaided, had been reignited.

Former comrades of Sgt Clement at the garrison said they were thrilled by his progress.

Tim Gargan, who trained under him, said he couldn't put into words the "pride, respect and inspiration" he felt after seeing the video.

He said: "I still remember him sprinting up the hills in The Land of Nod (part of a training route at the garrison), leading from the front and leaving us all wondering how we’d ever catch up with him.

"What a man. Still leading us by example."

For details about Mr Clement's charity, visit a-soldiers-journey.co.uk