A STUDENT who was forced to defer his A-Levels after being knocked down by a drink-driver has finally secured a place at university.

Luke Mason, a student at The King’s Academy in Coulby Newham, Middlesbrough, survived multiple serious injuries after he and a friend were hit by a vehicle as they left a nightclub in Middlesbrough in October 2017 where they had celebrated Luke turning 18.

The teenager suffered a fractured spine, a broken collarbone, pelvis, arm and ribs, a collapsed lung and a severe wound to the back of his head.

He was put into a medically-induced coma and was in hospital for ten weeks, off school for three months and is still undergoing physiotherapy.

Luke had no choice but to defer his exams to 2019 due to his injuries but today, aged 19, the student has achieved three A grades in politics, history and religious studies, and a B in economics.

He will be going on to York University to study philosophy, politics and economics.

“I was very nervous about the results even though I felt pretty good about my exams, and now I’m just relieved,” Luke said.

“I should have taken my A levels last summer but being knocked over smashed that to pieces. There was no chance I could have learned everything I needed to and sat four A levels then. Even after I got back to college I was on painkillers, couldn’t move my arm properly and was having intensive physiotherapy, that I’m still having now.”

Luke had to undergo a further operation in January this year as he prepared for his A levels.

He added: “It’s been a very delicate balance and a constant struggle trying to recover and work towards my exams. I’ve got through it with the help of my parents, the staff at The King’s Academy and a lot of determination.

“I think what happened actually made me even more determined. I did very well in my AS levels and even took good grades for granted before. Now I really understand what it takes to do well when it isn’t so easy. I’ve really had to put in a lot of effort.”

Following the incident, Luke has been campaigning for tougher sentences for dangerous drivers. 

Last year, he collected thousands of signatures for a petition sent to Home Secretary Amber Rudd, saying: “The current sentences offenders receive are wholly inadequate and let countless victims and their families down every day.”

Luke added: “I’d always wanted to go into politics and now I feel I really need to. You have got to be the change you want to see.

“The sentences for drink driving and dangerous driving are very lenient and need to be looked at. I hope I can come through university with a first class degree then will maybe do a masters before aiming for my goal of becoming a Member of Parliament.”

David Dawes, principal of The King’s Academy, paid tribute to Luke’s fortitude and strength of character.

“Luke was always an extraordinarily able student but given what happened to him, the life-threatening situation he was in and the challenges he faced we were very concerned, even after he came back to school, that he would struggle.

“However, he has shown immense courage and determination and hasn’t allowed it to interfere with his academic success. He has done tremendously well and we wish him all the very best with the interesting course he has chosen and for his future.”