HE IS the young sports star with the world of athletics at his feet.

But in a split second his life and his family's were flipped upside down.

Felix Barrow is battling to defy doctors as he recovers from a traumatic head injury sustained when he was hit by a car outside of his home.

The 11-year-old had been on his way to school when the accident happened and his parents were told their son may never walk again.

But Felix is beating the odds having spent 13 weeks in hospital with a series of operations and injuries to tackle and despite their worst fears, Vanessa and Stuart Barrow have seen their son walk and smile again.

The youngster has already taken a few tentative with the help of physiotherapists and is determined to get back on his own two feet.

The Swanmore College student was rushed by air ambulance to Southampton General Hospital after being hit by a car in Hill Pound, Swanmore on his way to school last year.

He was left in a critical condition and fought for his life on the intensive care ward for four weeks in an induced coma.

The devastating accident left Felix with severe injuries own his left side including a fractured skull, broken jaw, fractured eye socket, broken leg, fractured knee, elbow and ankle.

Doctors don’t yet know long-term damage to Felix’s brain or whether he will be able to talk again due to a tracheotomy but Vanessa, 42 and Stuart, 44 say he is a true fighter.

Vanessa, a fitness instructor, said: “It’s been a terrifying experience but Felix has always been perfect. There are two huge things as a parent that you’re terrified of happening, you’re child being abducted and your child being seriously hurt or ill.

“Over the last couple of months we’ve heard the words ‘vegetative state’ and ‘locked-in syndrome,’ 'life-limiting' - but doctors have said Felix has completely exceeded their expectations. He has been amazing and we just hope we are one of the lucky ones.”

On October 7 just a few weeks into starting secondary school, Felix was walking with a friend to the college when he had to rush home to get his forgotten rugby boots.

The avid sports lover, who qualified for Team GB's under 13's biathlon team at the age of 10 and is a member of scores of running, swimming and cycling clubs across Hampshire, got home quickly and was walking out of his drive over the road again towards school when he was hit.

His friend and both Felix’s sisters Charlotte, 14 and Amelia, eight who were just leaving for school ran back to the house and Stuart ran out to his son.

Vanessa said: “I can remember hearing a bump, then the kids came back and Stuart was shouting at me to call for an ambulance, we tried to stay calm but we were screaming.”

Stuart, a manager for Wickham Community Association Centre, added: “I was holding Felix in my arms, he was perfect, there were no cuts or bruises, no blood but we were very scared."

Within an hour Felix was at Southampton General Hospital where doctors had to work quickly to help ease the swelling of his brain with a specialist operation, which Vanessa says saved his life.

She said: “We were terrified but all the hospital staff have been incredible and never left his side, when the chips are down the NHS really does pull through.

“Felix has gone from strength to strength, it’s been incredible to see him smiling again and walking, even just sitting up. We’re a very active family and he loves sport so it’s been really hard for him to be so cooped up.

"We were all there for Christmas, the fact we were all together is what matters. We've had so much support and help from people everywhere from random notes with money for hospital parking to a rota by friends to make us dinners, and dropping off the girls for clubs, I think it just shows how special it is to live in a village. The way everyone has rallied around us, we're so grateful."

The Barrow family have been busy in between visits to the hospital organising fundraising events for the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance and have now set a target to raise £20,000 by the end of this year with Fit for Felix.

Stuart said: "This experience has shown us that everyone wants to do something to help and we thought this would be a great way to do something positive. We are all very sporty and love being outside so most of the events will be focused on that because that's what Felix loves, and we want to say thank you.

"We've had our down days and it has been so hard to carry on at times seeing how such a little boy can be so fragile but we've all handled it as a team and managed to stay positive for Felix."

A spokesperson from Hampshire Constabulary said that no crime had been identified in relation to the accident.

Daily Echo:

PICTURED ABOVE: Youngsters get involved in the Santa Hat Work Out

How you can help Anyone can get involved with Fit for Felix this year:

  • Vanessa and Stuart will be organising one event each month to raise money and so far they have raised around £8,000 by hosting a Santa Hat Work Out, a Boxing Day Cycle and a yogathon.
  • Other events set to take place this year will include a a Forest Fun run at the end of this month, a bakeathon, Stuart will be climbing the Alps as well as organising cycling challenges with his club and Vanessa will be hosting more fitness events with her friend and owner of Inspire Me Fit, Debbie Jones who organised the Santa event.
  • People are also encouraged to organise their own events to raise money and anyone who would like to find out more can contact info@fitforfelix.com.
  • To find out more about Felix's recovery and to donate visit fitforfelix.com

Daily Echo:

PICTURED: a Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance helicopter

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance by numbers:

  • The helicopter flies at 140mph.
  • It takes 240 seconds for the helicopter to be airborne.
  • It operates 365 days a year.
  • It takes 15 minutes for the helicopter to reach anywhere in Hampshire.
  • It takes 20 minutes for the helicopter to reach anywhere on the Isle of Wight.
  • There is a crew of three normally on board including a pilot and paramedic.
  • 66 per cent of flights have a doctor on board.
  • Since starting the helicopter has flown to 6,193 missions and has an average of 814 mission calls per year.
  • It has an average of 2 – 3 missions per day.
  • In 2016 so far it has had four calls.
  • It currently costs £4,000 a day to keep the Air Ambulance flying and costs are set to increase to £7,000 a day when they launch a night flying helicopter later this year.
  • 34 per cent of calls are to a road traffic collision.
  • 25 per cent of calls are to a cardiac arrest or collapse.
  • 18 per cent of calls are to sports falls.
  • 16 per cent of calls are to horse riding related injuries.
  • Four per cent of calls are for industrial injuries.
  • Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance by numbers The Air Ambulance has been running since 2007.