Injured soldier Tom Neathway to star in Dakar Rally documentary this week

Corporal Tom Neathway, of Crowle, formed the Race2Recovery project of predominantly injured soldiers with Captain Tony Harris, and Dakar Rally: Frontline to Finish Line airs on ITV4 at 9pm tomorrow (Wednesday) and Friday.

In taking on the world’s toughest rally, the team raced race almost 6000 miles over 15 days through Peru, Argentina and Chile.

However, corporal Neathway’s personal efforts to complete the distance over extreme mountain and desert terrain across 15 days ended when his Wildcat vehicle was forced to retire after mechanical issues caused by a particularly punishing stage four.

At the time, Corporal Neathway said: “On a personal note, I’m gutted that after all our training and hard work we have had to retire, but I hope our efforts in the build-up, and in our four days of racing, have helped inspire other people to challenge themselves, no matter what their disability, illness or adverse circumstances.”

Their only vehicle to cross the finish line was nicknamed Joy after the wife of a team benefactor, meaning o-driver Corporal Barney Gillespie became the first amputee to complete the Dakar.

Corporal Neathway joined the Parachute Regiment in 2001 but on his last tour of Afghanistan he triggered a booby trap and the subsequent blast resulted in the loss of both his feet.

An infection of his wounds led to amputation of both his legs and his left arm but he still works with the Parachute Regiment and last year he carried the Olympic Torch through Worcester as part of the Olympic Torch Relay.

The team received royal backing with a grant from the Endeavour Fund, set up by the Royal Foundation of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry and Prime Minister David Cameron offered them his congratulations.

Produced by Gaucho Productions and directed by award-winning director Tim Pritchard, the documentary uses a host of different cameras to capture the inside story of the tears.