A BROMSGROVE firefighter, who was involved in a road accident, had his leg amputated after hospital medics failed to take decisive action for more than two weeks.

Thirty-three-year-old Simon Hawkins was rushed to Nevill Hall Hospital, Abergavenny, on July 12, 2004, following the motorbike accident, in which he suffered multiple fractures of his left leg.

On initial assessment in casualty he was also diagnosed as suffering a vascular injury and tests showed blood was failing to reach the arteries in his lower leg.

Despite this, no intervention was taken by the hospital and it was not until Mr Hawkins was transferred to his local hospital, the Royal Worcester Infirmary on July 27, that the true extent of his injury was recognised.

By then his lower leg had been without proper blood supply for more than two weeks. An arterial by-pass was performed, but this proved unsuccessful, and on August 3 a below the knee amputation was carried out.

Judgement has now been entered against Gwent Healthcare NHS Trust for the actions of its medical staff and this now paves the way for a substantial compensation settlement, which is still to be agreed.

Simon, who has now returned to work with Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Authority, is believed to be the first amputee in the UK to actively serve in the fire service.

The latest technological advances in prosthetic limbs, together with his own personal determination, have been key to his recovery and rehabilitation.

"While my life has been changed forever by the human error and negligence of one NHS consultant, Gwent NHS Trust has finally acknowledged that mistakes were made and its apology has assisted me in coming to terms with my injury," he said.

"The settlement will never compensate for the difficult process my family and I have undergone, but it will enable me to continue to live an active life, and carry on in my career as an operational firefighter."

Tim Deeming, a solicitor with Irwin Mitchell, who has represented Mr Hawkins in his legal battle, explained: "Independent medical evidence showed that if Gwent Hospital had taken prompt action, Simon would not have required a below the knee amputation. Although his injuries were severe, immediate treatment to restore blood supply to his lower leg would have resulted, at the very worst, in him losing only his big toe.

"Simon's recovery has been inspirational and his personal determination and access to the very latest prosthetics has meant he has been able to return to a near normal life. However, these prosthetics are very advanced and extremely costly. We therefore expect that the value of his compensation settlement will need to be substantial in order to provide for his future needs."

A spokesman for Gwent Healthcare NHS Trust said: "The suffering caused by Mr Hawkins and his family as a result of the shortcomings in the care he received at Nevill Hall Hospital is deeply regretted.

"All aspects of this case will be considered at the highest level of the trust in order to ascertain what steps can be taken to improve the emergency treatment of patients with vascular injuries in the future."