A-level results: Teenager Aidan battles back from almost losing leg in motorbike crash to make the grade at Oaklands Catholic School

On March 26 Aidan Lamer, 18, was driving his motorbike to Oakland’s Catholic School to attend a psychology lesson when he was involved in a collision with a car near Fort Purbrook. Aidan was rushed to Queen Alexandra Hospital with a horrific leg injury which left medics battling to save his lower limb.

‘My leg was crushed in the collision and the doctor told me I was an hour away from losing it. I had a compound fracture and had developed compartment syndrome which was restricting the blood flow to my leg and damaging nerves,’ said Aidan.

Aidan spent an initial two weeks in hospital where he underwent four operations including a fasciectomy to remove damaged tissue and a skin graft.

‘Doctors told me I would not be fit to return to college until the end of July which would obviously be too late to sit my A-levels,’ said Aidan.

Determined not to have to resit the year, and going against doctors advice, Aidan returned to school after just four weeks.

‘It was really difficult as I was in pain and on crutches. I was also taking Tramadol which made it hard to concentrate as at times I felt completely out of it,’ he said.

The school did all it could to support Aidan, emailing work and powerpoints home, providing extra tuition for missed lessons and even moving Aidan’s classes to more accessible rooms.

Despite facing such adversity, Aidan achieved a grade B in politics and geography and a C in psychology – just one subject grade short of his B grade predictions.

Director of sixth form, Belinda Ludlam, said: ‘For a student to go through what Aidan has and to get the grades he has achieved is a fantastic effort and testament to his brilliance. He really is an extraordinary character.’

Due to being in hospital during the application process Aidan does not have a place at university.

‘I’m going to take a year out and have arranged a work placement to get experience as a chartered surveyor with Portsmouth City Council,’ said Aidan.