My friends and family used to describe me as a Billy the Whizz-type character. I ran businesses, played a myriad of sports, travelled the world and seemed never to be in the same place for more than five minutes.

In January of 2006 I was on the holiday of a lifetime, celebrating the New Year in Goa. My friends and I were on a sunset walk on the beach when I fancied a swim; I plunged into the sea and hit a sandbank. I was conscious for the initial couple of minutes and knew immediately that I had broken my neck. As the water around me turned red with the blood pouring from my head, I began to mentally say goodbye to all the people that I loved; my family, girlfriend, friends and my five beautiful godchildren.

Hospitals in India aren't exactly BUPA standard! I could order a beer but beyond that I didn’t speak the language and being there brought its own set of challenges. It was deliriously hot and each time I regained consciousness I found myself either next to a bed hosting a recently deceased body, or looking at a sacred cow which had wandered into the intensive care unit. The doctors gave me a one per cent chance of survival.

The guys treat me exactly the same as they did before

The love and support from friends and family is what gets you through; we’ve all cried and laughed at the extremities this injury imposes on me. And they treat me exactly the same as before; the guys even used to come into the hospital wearing my best clothes, claiming I wouldn't be needing them for a while after all the weight I’d lost in India! This may seem callous but it was all about sustaining the same banter we’ve always had.

I went home to the same non-adapted property that I had lived in before the accident. It’s needed lots of work, including ramps, changes to the driveway, widening doors, new flooring, ceiling track hoists and so on. Two years on and it’s nearly there.

I love my life so it’s good to have proved the doctors wrong. Life is getting back to normal and once again I find myself very busy, completing a counselling course, travelling, working and just about fitting in the time to go skiing. I hope and believe I’m still the same Billy the Whizz character I’ve always been.