Sgt John Bolam and fiance Vicky Barnett

A Shropshire-raised soldier told by doctors he may not survive horrific injuries from a bomb blast in Afghanistan hopes to soon walk down the aisle to marry an army nurse.

Sergeant John Bolam, 34, was injured in the same IED explosion that killed Rifleman Daniel Hume on July 9. The two soldiers were on foot patrol near Nad e-Ali in Helmand Province providing protection for a convoy when the roadside bomb was detonated.

Sgt Bolam suffered abdominal and facial injuries as well as a fractured hip after the blast tore through his body.

He spent two weeks in intensive care at Selly Oak Hospital where doctors told his family and fiancee Vicky Barnett that he may not survive.

“When it happened I did not think there was much hope of surviving, and the consensus from the doctors was that I would not live,” he said.

“Then they said it would be 12 months before I could walk again.

“But 10 weeks later I walked out of hospital on crutches.”

Sgt Bolam then received treatment at Headley Court defence rehabilitation centre.

He said his next challenge was to ensure he would parade with his fellow soldiers for a medal ceremony before the Duchess of Cornwall on December 14.

“My aim was always to try to get back to the way I was before the explosion, I am half way there now,” said Sgt Bolam, who is originally from Sutton Coldfield but was brought up in Telford, and now lives at Bulford Camp, in Wiltshire.

“Being able to walk is not just for me, knowing what I have been through over the past five months, but it is an extremely proud moment for my family.

“The next thing for me is to get married in July, and walk down the aisle, which is what I have been working towards all this time.”

Miss Barnett, 27, works as a nurse at Catterick Garrison where the couple met two years ago.

They will marry in St Patrick’s Church, in Miss Barnett’s home town of Hartlepool, on July 31.

“After he was injured I never thought that he would walk and get there as quickly as he has, he has worked really hard,” she said.

“He was injured one year before we were due to marry, which was devastating, his goal was always to walk down the aisle.

“He is able to walk already, and we are so proud of him.”