When Bushey resident Derek Derenalagi lost his legs while clearing a helicopter landing site in Afghanistan, his future looked bleak.

But the 34-year-old has triumphed over adversity, and in August he will represent Great Britain in the Paralympic Games after winning the gold medal for discus at the 2012 IPC Athletics European Championships.

The news comes almost five years to the day that the former soldier, who had been stationed in Helmand Province in July 2007, lost his legs after reversing the vehicle he was travelling in over an anti-tank mine, causing it to explode.

He said: "I remember lying there with my legs shattered and people around me screaming.

"I looked up to the sky and said a prayer: Lord Jesus, if you need to use me to motivate others about Your Kingdom, please give me back my life again."

Following the explosion Mr Derenalagi was pronounced dead back in Camp Bastion, but amazingly, one of his doctors found a slight pulse. He was operated on and then taken back to the UK, to Selly Oak Hospital in Birmingham, where he was put in a medically induced coma for nine days.

When he awoke, his wife Ana broke the news that he had lost his legs.

Mr Derenalagi said: "I couldn’t believe it because I could feel that I still had my boots on and my feet were very warm."

Despite his accident, he said he refused to his let his disability get in the way of his life.

And 15 months after the explosion, he was at the US national Olympic Training Centre near San Diego, chosen as one of six members of the British armed forces to develop their sporting prowess by spending a week at a training camp in California.

He was picked by Major Martin Colclough, a British Army fitness instructor, who was looking for people with not only sporting ability, but also a strong mental attitude.

He became part of the Ministry of Defence’s Battle Back scheme, funded by Help For Heroes, and plays sitting volleyball as well as javelin and shot put.

Having already broken two British records in shot put, he is attempting the same in javelin and expecting further glory in the Paralympics.

With the help of Remap, the charity which creates custom made equipment for people with disabilities, Mr Derenalagi will be competing using his bespoke throwing frame.

Fijian-born Mr Derenalagi praised the support he has had since his accident.

He said: "Help for Heroes is a fantastic charity. What they have done to raise the awareness of wounded soldiers like myself and raise awareness of what we do here in the UK and abroad is great. To be associated with them, I’m just thankful.

"As for the frame from Remap, I love it. When I win a medal I want everyone to know that they helped to make it possible. They’ve done a marvellous job for me."