A MAN who survived a terrorist attack has shared his pride after winning a Pride of Gwent Award.

Daniel Biddle, who lives in Abergavenny, was the most seriously injured survivor of the July 7 attacks in 2005.

As a result of the attack he lost both legs, an eye and his spleen and his whole life changed forever. Since then he has faced lots of challenges and is working to improve disability awareness in Gwent.

It is due to his work and for overcoming adversity that Mr Biddle has been awarded the Pride of Gwent Achiever Award.

He said: “I was completely shocked when I heard I won the award. It was a complete surprise and I am very honoured.

“It does mean a lot. I don’t do this work for the awards but when you get one it gives you the drive to push forward.”

Before that fateful day he says he wasn’t aware of the issues that disabled people face in their daily lives.

He said: “We live in a bubble when it comes to disability and people often look at you with sympathy and empathy.

"What 7/7 showed me that life can change in a blink of an eye, whether that’s an accident, illness or terrorist attack. The roadway we chose in life gets altered, but it can be better a better path.”

Mr Biddle was standing next to a suicide bomber on the train that had just left Edgware Road station.

He remembers the entire day from the moment the bomb went off to the aftermath including when he was trapped in the tunnel and the moment he was sedated in hospital.

As a result of those events he suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder.

He says he tried to kill himself three times in 2013, but that his world changed when he met his wife Gem on Facebook. She has stuck by his side through his treatment.

He said: "Meeting Gem was a turning point for me. If it wasn’t for Gem I wouldn’t be able to be nominated for an award because I wouldn’t be here."

Mr Biddle now a member of the Independent Advisory Group for Gwent Police and contributed to hate crime awareness events.

His work provided senior police officers with greater knowledge of disability awareness allowing them to implement this in to their equality strategy.

He said: "I do enjoy it, in life you get very few opportunities to do things that make a difference.

"I get involved in training officers and on the advisory group.

"I'm involved in raising disability issues and I hope it gives disabled people more confidence when dealing with the police.

"The officers I have met are a credit to the service and I hope that their enthusiasm and compassion continues in future police officers."

While his hard work has meant there have been changes in Gwent he feels he still has a lot of work to do.

He added: "I want to show disabilities in different light, it is a slow process but you have to keep banging on the drum and hope people pay attention."

Mr Biddle is one of the winners who will attend an awards ceremony which will be held on the afternoon on May 25 in the Coldra Court Hotel where the overall Pride of Gwent winner for 2018 will be announced.

To find out more about the awards and the winners visit southwalesargus.co.uk/prideofgwent.