In an astonishing career, the 39-year-old Briton became Paralympic, world and European champion as well as world record holder in the 800m.

He also enjoyed the privilege of carrying the British flag at the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Opening Ceremony in the Bird's Nest Stadium (pictured above).

He now works a television presenter and is set to play a key role in Channel 4's coverage of the London 2012 Paralympic Games.

But it is the accident that saw him lose his right arm that provides one of the most gripping moments of the book, titled Danny Boy (pictured below).
The accident happened in Australia in 1994 when Crates was a promising 21-year-old rugby player tipped for big things.

The book begins with a harrowing and clear recount of the incident.

"I regained consciousness at the bottom of a 15-foot embankment in the driver's seat of a wrecked car," Crates recalls in the autobiography.

"Moments earlier I had been enjoying the drive to Airlie Beach in Queensland, Australia, looking forward to catching up with old friends one last time before returning home to England at the end of what had been the most amazing year of my life.

"How had I got here?

"Had I hit another car?

"Or lost control of mine?

"All these thoughts running through my mind distracted me from the fact that my arm was starting to hurt.

"I looked down and saw a severed arm lying across my lap.

"At first I was scared it was from a pedestrian or another car I had collided with.

"I did not even contemplate that it might be mine.

"In a state of panic I turned to my passenger, Barry, for reassurance, but all he said was, 'Don't look down, it's your arm.'

"I don't know why but those words seemed to calm me."

A preview of the book, which features the strapline "No hurdle in life is impossible to overcome", can be ordered via Crates' website, by clicking here.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


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