Six years ago, a motorbike crash left teenager Gareth Houston paralysed from the chest down.

Now he is preparing to drive a Land Rover he rescued from a scrapheap and modified in a 2,800-mile rally across Europe.

Undaunted by his disability, wheelchair-bound Mr Houston, 23, has spent two and a half years completely rebuilding the 1968 Series 2A Land Rover, adapting it for his use.

The former Abingdon and Witney College engineering student replaced the engine, gear box and exhaust, and rewelded the chassis. A special hand lever lets him brake and accelerate without using his legs.

Now Mr Houston, of Halse Water, Didcot, and his fiancée Charlotte Steptoe, 21, are preparing to take part in the Landy Rally, which crosses 11 countries in nine days from Thursday, September 19.

He is the only disabled driver taking part and wants local people to help him raise money for the Back Up Trust, which takes people with spinal injuries on adventure holidays.

He said: “I try not to let my disability stop me doing anything. Everyone says I’m a nutter, and I think Charlotte’s trying to discipline me out of being so impulsive.

“I just see no reason why I can’t do something that I want to.”

His fiancée said: “When he gets an idea in his head, there’s no stopping him. I think he’s just amazing.”

Mr Houston lost the use of his legs in February 2003, aged just 16, when his motorbike was clipped by another rider near Marcham.

He was thrown across the road and left trapped underneath his bike.

His spinal cord was severed, and he suffered six broken ribs, a punctured lung and a shattered right shoulder.

After 13 days on life support, and a battle with MRSA, he spent three months recovering in Stoke Mandeville Hospital.

He said: “The only thing on my mind was getting out, and getting on with my life.

“I hate hospitals with a passion, so I just did whatever I could to get out of there as quickly as possible.”

His mum Marian Carter, 43, said: “I thought he was mad when he bought that Land Rover — it was so rusty that the scrapyard wouldn’t take it. There weren’t even any footwells.

“It was like the Flintstones’ car.

“But nothing he does surprises me any more.

“It’s just brilliant how well he’s done.”

To sponsor Mr Houston, log on to the website justgiving.com /rally4backup