'Army is failing disabled soldier'

- November 16 2009

A Teenage Soldier paralysed from the waist down has been "let down and forgotten" by the Army, his family has claimed.

Liam Morrell has been left for three months without vital physiotherapy and is still waiting for furniture he was promised.

Now his father Shaun. from Trilwm, Trimsaran, has spoken out about the way his son is allegedly being treated.

"Liam is having no physio — no help at all," he said.

"I feel we have been let down — forgotten."

The 18-year-old soldier was serving in the Royal Welsh Fusiliers' 1st Battalion in Kenya when he "died twice" on a military exercise last January.

He was found face down and unconscious. The circumstances surrounding the accident remain a mystery.

Liam was initially paralysed from the neck down but, after treatment, he regained the use of the upper part of his body.

But more physio is vital for him to live a comfortable life, says his father.

"He thought he would be in his own house and starting his life by now," said Mr Morrell.

"But he has been without physio for 12 weeks. It is vital for him. They should have got it in place. We were told that as soon as he had an address they would kick-start treatment, but nothing has happened.

"Liam has no furniture. We have been promised stuff, but it has not arrived yet. It has taken weeks and weeks. The wait seems never ending."

Mr Morrell was critical of the Army's handling of his son's transfer home from military hospital in Brecon.

"I'm disabled and it has made me ill," he added.

Carmarthenshire councillor Jim Jones said the Army should be doing more.

He said: "As he suffered his injuries through work, I think they should be looking after him."

The teenager's plight emerged just days after Assembly Labour leadership hopeful Carwyn Jones spoke of the need to respect armed forces veterans.

The Bridgend AM made a pledge to ensure improved and better co-ordinated services are delivered.

Bill Billington, of the soldiers's absence management team for the Army, said the Army and local service charities had provided help — but the postal strike had caused delays. He said: "I spoke to the Veterans Agency staff and everything is stuck in the postal strike."

Questioned about the physiotherapy, he said: "He is under his local GP, and he is responsible for his primary care."

But Mr Morrell hit back.

He said: "It's a different story to what we heard months ago. We were told as soon as he gets his address things would fall into place.

"They are telling us things are going to happen, and they don't happen."

Story Credit - www.thisissouthwales.co.uk