Student's stake in neck miracle

The scar left by the wooden stake stretches from ear to ear

A student has described how he was hurled from a car and speared through the neck by an 18in-long stake.

The 2in diameter chunk of fence missed all Liam Williams' vital arteries - and when paramedics arrived on the scene he was standing up and speaking to them.

Liam, 17, from Verbania Way, East Grinstead in West Sussex, is now on the way to recovery and cannot remember anything about the crash in December.

"My mates screamed, the car drifted and I woke up in hospital," he said.

Liam is well on the way to recovery but cannot remember the crash

The first paramedic from Surrey Ambulance Service was on the scene at Tilburstow Hill, Godstone, Surrey, within minutes.

"I couldn't believe it. This guy was staggering around with this bit of wood stuck in his neck," said paramedic Stuart Plumbley.

"We were trying to calm him down. He was obviously in a lot of pain and kept trying to grab at the piece of wood, which we didn't want him to do."

Liam did not see himself and was not told how bad his injuries were until after surgeons had removed the wooden post in a 40-minute operation.

He now has a scar stretching from ear to ear across the back of his neck which he says fascinates friends.

"They just think it looks good, which is cool," he said.