A FARMER was struck in the head with a 15kg metal hook in a horrific accident which left him unrecognisable to his family.

Dad-of-three Paul Milner was helping to tow a broken down tractor in April when the chain connecting it to his tractor snapped.

The large hook came through the back of the tractor and smashed Paul on the right side of the head.

Doctors were forced to remove a large portion of his skull and left him with brain injuries as well as a fractured eye socket and a misshapen head.

Paul, a farmer from a village near Shrewsbury, Shrops, was not expected to survive but after spending six months in hospital has now been discharged.

His wife Natacha Milner, 30, said: "When I first saw Paul he was a mess – it was hard to recognise him.

"Doctors had been telling me how bad it was – when I asked the prognosis they said 'let's just get through the night first' – but when I saw him I was still so shocked.

"The right side of his face was incredibly swollen and unnatural-looking and he has been left with a dip on the right side of his head where they took his skull away.

"The left side of his face looks exactly the same as it did before but he had so many fractures on the right side of his face that it looks completely different.

"Seeing the CT scans it hit me how lucky Paul was – surgeons said most people with these types of injuries do not survive.

"When we had days we thought we were going to lose him I just thought 'how am I going to tell the kids'.

"I made the decision to take the children in to see him a week after the accident, against most people's judgement, but it was the best thing I could've done.

"He didn't look like daddy, but he looked enough like daddy for them to recognise him."

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Immediately after the accident on April 8, Paul was airlifted to hospital for an emergency craniotomy before needing surgery to remove a blood clot from behind his eye.

He then had three more operations for facial fractures, a shattered eye socket and jawbone – while also battling blood, chest and cerebral fluid infections.

His family was told many times he may not survive.

Paul can now can only speak in a whisper and eat pureed foods due to paralysed vocal cords.

He has also lost the use of his left arm and must rely on a wheelchair or use a stick to walk.

A group of mums Natacha met while pregnant set up a fund to support the family and now nearly £7,500 has been donated to help the family pay for adaptations to their home.

The family used a £10,000 critical care insurance to buy a new wheelchair-friendly car.

The rest of the fund will be put towards house improvements and to help Paul and Natacha in the run up to Christmas now Paul is no longer able to work.

Natacha said: "Paul went to work as usual in the morning and phoned at about 5.50pm to say he would have been on his way home but needed to help someone so would be an hour and a half.

"When he didn't come home I didn't worry initially – a farmer's hour and a half can be anything.

"Paul was injured because he went to help someone else and that is typical of him, he would do anything to help anybody out and that is just the sort of person he is.

"The fundraising has been unbelievable and just phenomenal – knowing so many people care has been a massive boost for both of us.

"Paul has done amazingly, he has his down days but he is so strong and determined."

Paul said: "It has been an enormously difficult time for myself, and my family. The accident has changed our lives forever.

"I just want to regain as much independence as possible and be able to provide for my family again.

"I am overwhelmed with the support shown to us by Tach's birth board Mums, they are incredible.

"The kindness by them, by family and friends, and strangers is too much to put in to words."

A spokesman for the Health and Safety Executive said: "I can confirm that HSE is currently investigating this incident."

To make a donation: go to https://www.gofundme.com/2q264tk6

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