A TEENAGER from Elslack is thanking his lucky stars after an horrific accident that came within a few millimetres of claiming his life.

Thomas Persson, 19, of Smearber Farm was flipped through the air like a rag doll after being hit by a speeding car while he was on holiday in Italy. The impact pushed the top of his spine up into his skull, to within half a centimetre of his brain.

Incredibly, the resilient Elslack man clambered to his feet, allowing his spine to drop back down, and doctors later told him it was that which saved his young life.

After just a few days in hospital, the former South Craven School pupil was given the all clear to fly home. And although he will be off work for at least two months, he can still hardly believe he survived.

"I'm just so lucky to be living, it's untrue," he said this week.

Another bone in Thomas' neck was dislodged and he'll have to wear a neck brace for a month. Tests at Airedale Hospital show he'll also need an operation on his ears to realign the delicate bones inside after they were dislodged by the force of the impact, affecting his hearing. He might also need a skin graft to one elbow.

But all that is nothing compared to what might have been.

Thomas had gone to Italy with old schoolfriends, Joseph Tangi, of Farnhill, and Barry Chatsfield, of Bradley, all three staying with another friend in Pontedera, in the Tuscany region. For Thomas it was a well-earned break as he had been working 90 hours-a-week as an agricultural contractor.

It was Friday August 4, at the end of the friends' first week in Italy, when the accident happened.

Thomas was crossing a road when suddenly a car sped into view, breaking the speed limit at around 50mph. With cars parked either side of the road, its driver made no effort to swerve and instead ran straight into Thomas.

"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. I remember telling people 'I don't want an ambulance, I'm alright'."

Of course, he did need an ambulance and was rushed to hospital. Almost immediately, he was put on a scanning machine to determine his injuries.

"I can remember them running in with a neck brace and putting it on me. I just kept saying 'I'm OK - can I go home?'."

Incredibly, he suffered no broken bones, only a deep bruise to one leg. Doctors said it was his athletic build and being young and fit which saved him.

His parents, Diane and Tim, were making hurried plans to travel to Italy, but then Thomas was given the all clear to fly home, returning last Friday. As he was driven into Elslack, the village was decorated with "welcome home" posters and balloons. There was an emotional reunion with his relieved parents, so glad to have their only son back home safely.

One real sickener for Thomas was that 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 birthday present from when he was 15. That aside, he's just happy to be home with his family.

"I'm glad to be back and lucky to be alive," he said. "The doctors over there just couldn't believe it, they were so amazed."