A teenager who survived being flipped like a rag doll after he was hit by a speeding car in Italy must now undergo an operation on his ears.

Thomas Persson, 19, a former pupil of South Craven School, Cross Hills, was lucky to survive the accident. The impact pushed the top of his spine into his skull, to within a centimetre of his brain.

Incredibly, the farm contractor from Elslack, near Skipton, clambered to his feet, allowing his spine to drop down and doctors told him later it was that which saved his life.

He now has to wear a neckbrace for a month and faces surgery after dislodging small bones in his ears.

After just a few days in hospital in Italy, Thomas was given the all clear to fly home, but doctors at Airedale General Hospital in Steeton have told him he now needs an operation on his ears. His mother Dianne said: "Three small bones have moved. It is not serious.

"He is due to have another appointment with the orthopaedic surgeon in two weeks. Otherwise he is fine and getting on with his life as normal."

Thomas can still hardly believe that he survived. "I'm just so lucky to be living, its untrue. Somebody, somewhere must have been looking out for me," he said.

He might also need a skin graft to one elbow, where the skin was torn away as he was sent reeling down the road.

Thomas had gone to Italy with two old schoolfriends, Joseph Tangi, of Farnhill, and Barry Chatsfield, of Bradley. They were staying with a friend in Pontedera, in the Tuscany region. For Thomas it was a well-earned break from his job as an agricultural contractor.

He recalls crossing the road when a car came into view, apparently making no effort to swerve, and ran straight into him.

"It hit my legs and knocked me up onto the bonnet and straight through the windscreen. I was thrown up over the roof and landed in the road and ended up under a parked car," said Thomas.

"I can't remember much after that but I know I crawled out and stood up then went and sat in a chair."

He was taken to hospital and given a scan which revealed he had suffered no broken bones, only a deep bruise to one leg. Doctors said it was his athletic build and youth which saved him from worse injuries.

Thomas was allowed to fly home with his friends. As he was driven into Elslack, the village was decorated with "welcome home" posters and balloons. In the aftermath of the accident, someone stole his wallet. It had the equivalent of about £200 in it, but more valuable to Thomas was the wallet itself, a 15th birthday present.