A BLAENAU Gwent actor has spoken of his hopes to inspire by sharing his story - which includes surving two almost-fatal car crashes.

Born Scott Rose in Southampton, Scott Rose-Marsh's life nearly came to a swift end at just 18 months old.

“When I was 18 months old, I was going to a routine hospital appointment with my parents. My dad was a taxi driver and we got into the back of his cab and I was sat on my mum’s lap. I don’t think seatbelts were law then,” he told the Argus.

South Wales Argus:

Scott Rose-Marsh in Y Amgueddfa

“The screen separating the back of the taxi and the driver was glass at the time and my dad slammed on the breaks and I went through the glass.

“They thought they killed me. I had a cut on my head, and you could see my skull.”

Mr Rose-Marsh was bullied about the scar left by the crash while at school, but at the age of 12, he decided he wanted to get into acting. When he was 15 he had an audition for the Brit School – but afterwards had a second near-death crash.

“My teachers said I would never get in and I should focus on my GCSES," he said. "Ironically, my dad was driving again and after the audition, we went on the A3 and something came out in front of us and my dad swerved and crashed into three cars and rolled into a ditch.

“I remember waking up and seeing the fire brigade and a 10-foot tree through the car near to my head.”

South Wales Argus:

Scott Rose-Marsh as George Cornell in The Code of Silence

Despite escaping injury in this second crash, it had a profound impact on Mr Rose-Marsh’s life.

“It ruined my life,” he said. “I got into the Brit School and attended for a while where I was friends with Jessie J and knew Adele, but I was so terrified of going on buses and trains and all the trauma and PTSD of what happened that I dropped out.”

Mr Rose-Marsh fell into a dark place and battled addiction and mental health problems and spent his 21st birthday in the Priory. He was unable to keep his job at his dad’s business – where he was sacked twice – and eventually fell out with his family.

He moved to Wales around nine years ago in a move that he said "changed my life around".

“Everyone is so lovely," he said. "I’ve lived in Abertillery, Ebbw Vale and now Tredegar and each one, the people have been so supportive.”

It was while he was living in Blaenau Gwent that his acting career began – and he credits his near-death experiences for this.

“I’m getting a lot of villain roles and it’s because of my scar," he said. "I used to hate it but now I love it as its opened up so many opportunities.”

South Wales Argus:

Scott Rose-Marsh in The Outlaws

Mr Rose-Marsh has been in Yr Amgueddfa (The Museum) on S4C, despite not speaking Welsh. Speaking previously to the Argus, he said: "As an English man who does not speak Welsh and is now appearing on a Welsh speaking show, it shows that anything is possible to anyone."

That anything is possible mantra is what he wants to highlight by sharing his story.

“I want to inspire people,” he said.

Mr Rose-Marsh appears in film The Code of Silence, in which where he plays George Cornell, an English criminal killed by Ronnie Kray. He also appeared in The Outlaws and is in new BBC drama Chloe as Jerome.