A MAN who was left disabled following a horrific attack in a bar has taken his first steps after spending the last 12 years in a wheelchair.

Sean Tyrrell is learning how to walk again after he refused to give up hope of getting back on his feet.

He recently amazed colleagues at the Trussell Trust where he is a volunteer by walking out of his office using only sticks.

The 42-year-old has gone on to walk a little further each day and this week managed to stand at the bar of a pub to have a drink for the first time in 12 years.

In 1997, Mr Tyrrell was working as a DJ at a bar in Lanzarote when a drunk pushed him over from behind and jumped on his head while he was lying on the floor.

He spent the next 20 months in hospital and was left unable to talk or walk.

Almost a year ago, Sean joined the Trussell Trust where he works on the Amazon book project – valuing donated books and selling them online to raise funds for the charity.

The work gave him newfound confidence, and he is now able to talk a lot more and dreams of walking unaided.

“The next thing is to use just one stick,” he said. “I want to show people what you can do with determination. Maybe this will be an inspiration to others.”

Mr Tyrrell was brought up in Amesbury, where he still lives with his widowed mother.

He was formerly a skateboarding champion – winning a number of trophies and medals before the nightclub assault.

His attacker has never been caught.

“I spent six weeks in hospital in Lanzarote when they didn’t know my name and I couldn’t tell them,”

he said.

“I came back here and had to resign myself to life in a wheelchair.

“But the people at the Trussell Trust have been so supportive.

“They have given me great confidence.”

Staff and volunteers at the Trussell Trust always eat together and were astounded when Mr Tyrrell walked into the charity’s lunch room.

“I just thought I’d show them,” he said.

“It was time to get my backside out of bed after 12 years.”

Publicity officer for the trust, Mollie Hodson, who witnessed his achievement, said her colleagues fell into stunned silence as they watched: “It was incredible – we were so excited for Sean,” she said.

“We love having him here and his progress has been fantastic.”

Although Mr Tyrrell still needs his wheelchair, he is hoping to strengthen the muscles in his legs so he can walk further and he has already defied medical opinion.

“It just goes to show,” he said.

“I love meeting people at the trust and I’ve made lots of friends.

Walking has given me more freedom.

Now I have a brighter future.”