MEDICAL student Ross Smith lost the use of his legs in a horrifying climbing accident just two months ago.

But the 20-year-old, from Egerton, has amazed friends and family with his positive attitude and total lack of self-pity or anger.

The accomplished musician and Scout leader plans to return to university and complete his training to be a doctor.

He said: “What’s happened has gone, I’m not going to be feeling sorry for myself when I could be getting on with things and making the best of it.”

Ross fell 30ft from a climbing wall in Sunderland after he slipped and a pal was unable to keep hold of the rope. He broke one of his vertebrae and damaged his spinal cord in the fall. Now Ross faces being wheelchair-bound for the rest of his life.

He said: “What’s happened has happened, I might as well try to make the best of it. People find ways around everything these days, with all the technology we have.”

Ross’ mum, Karen Smith, told of her pride in her son. She said: “I have never seem him angry or or upset, it’s amazing, I’m so proud of him, he has just got on with it. He just sees things as challenges to be got over.

Ross, a student at Newcastle University, described the moments following the accident: “I was in quite a lot of pain, there wasn’t much they could do, couldn’t give me morphine on site, had to wait until I got into hospital.

“The laughing gas wasn’t that effective, it just made me feel nauseous but the paramedics were great, they were willing to have a laugh with me, even though it was serious.”

Ross was rushed to the Royal Victoria Infirmary where he underwent emergency surgery. Medics at the hospital used rods and screws to secure his vertebra and relieve the pressure on his spinal cord.

That night he was transferred to James Cook University Hospital. But despite the surgery, the feeling in legs showed no sign of returning, and doctors broke the news he would never walk again.

Ross said it did not come as a huge shock: “I had been kind of expecting it, I had no feeling in my legs for four days, and any time without feeling your legs is not going to be good.”

The former Turton High School pupil has recently had a ‘trial run’ living back at his home, in Blackburn Road, after adjustments were made for his wheelchair.

He hopes to be back living permanently with his mum, Karen, over the next couple of weeks.

But he intends to return to Newcastle University, studying medicine in September.

He said: “I’m not sure what I want to specialise in yet, it’s quite a way down the road, but it’s not like anything is ruled out. There are surgeons who can operate in wheelchairs so it’s not like my career-path choices have been narrowed.”

The one-time Walmsley Primary School pupil’s pals James Sloane, Ben Cartwright and James Lilliott launched a fundraising page to drum up cash to help raise money for personal care and mobility aids that will help Ross live an independent life.

It reached an incredible £4,000 within just two days of being launched and at the time of writing stood at more than £7,500.

And Ross, who is a leader with Bolton Moorland Griffin Explorer Scout Unit, says he has been ‘overwhelmed’ by the response.

He said: “It’s very difficult to put into words, it’s very humbling how many people are willing to give money, even people you have never met who have just read the story.”

Karen added: “We had a major disappointment in that we can’t get a stairlift in here, because the stairs are too steep and too narrow. But Ross is just going to get himself up, he’s been researching techniques to do that with the help of a handrail.

“He’s building up his strength, and that’s just one example of how he finds another way of doing things.”

And referring to the generosity of those who have donated to the fundraising page she added: “It’s not just the money, it’s the message, it’s amazing, it’s so moving and so humbling, you don’t realise how many lives your son has touched in his 20 years, and even people you don’t know at all. “

James Lilliott, one of Ross’s old Turton High School pals and fellow Scout leader, helped to set up the online fundraising page.

He said: “It’s just amazing how many people have given. I didn’t expect this many people to donate, it’s quite amazing really.”

To donate visit justgiving.com/crowdfunding/ross-smith-bolton