Telford teenager Mickey Bushell today scooped silver in the men’s T53 100m finals at the Beijing Paralympics and declared: “I just can’t believe it.”Mickey, a sports studies student at Telford College of Arts and Technology, smashed the European record during the race – narrowly missing out on a gold medal by just 13 hundredths of a second.

The 18-year-old wheelchair racer and his family said they were bowled over.

Mickey has a very rare medical condition called Lumbar Sacral Spinal Agenesis Congenital Paraplegia, which means that he is missing seven vertebrae from the lower part of his back.

Doug Boynton, principal at TCAT, joined staff and students to watch today’s race.

Mr Boynton said: “It’s an awesome achievement from a delightful young man.”

Paralympic legend Dame Tanni Grey Thomson said: “Mickey was the youngest athlete in the field by six years and he gave the performance of his life. To win a silver medal at this level is well deserved.”

As a youngster Mickey’s parents were told he would be unlikely to be able to sit or move on his own. But, aged 11, Mickey embarked on a career in wheelchair racing.

Before flying out to China, former Holmer Lake Primary School pupil Mickey said: “I started going to a Saturday club run by the school and was asked if I wanted to try wheelchair racing.

“It all stemmed from there really.”