A ROYAL Marine commando who cheated death in Afghanistan is now looking forward to his future in sport after competing in the Invictus Games.

Liam Brentley, 29, was severely wounded on his first tour of Afghanistan in 2010 when a bullet, fired by an insurgent, missed his helmet and entered his head by his ear, exiting through the back of his head.

The attack in the dangerous Helmand Province left him receiving surgery to remove part of his skull, brain and jaw.

His injuries have left him deaf in his left ear and with memory loss.

Now, he is looking towards rebuilding his own future, starting with competing on the world stage.

Marine Brentley only took up archery a year ago at Bronte Archers, based at Rawdon Meadows, Apperley Bridge, but reached a high enough standard to have competed at the Invictus Games, held in London earlier this month.

There he took on 26 other archers from the United Kingdom, US and Australia as more than 400 competitors from 13 nations took part in the Games, an international sporting event for wounded, injured and sick servicemen and women, which was the brainchild of Prince Harry.

Despite not making the last 16 of the mixed individual compound open category of the archery competition at the event, Marine Brentley said he felt "humbled" by the public's reaction to the former servicemen and women who competed.

And he said taking part also gave him a huge confidence booster as his rehabilitation continues.

He divides his time between his home in Coleridge Gardens, Idle, and the Hasler company in Plymouth, where he is still undergoing rehabilitation.

He will be discharged from the Royal Marines next year and hopes to move into rugby league coaching after taking his first steps at Dudley Hill, a club he played for before he was shot in Afghanistan.

Marine Brentley also praised his family, his wife Samantha, step-children Caitlin, 14, Alfie, nine, and children Joey, six, Isabella, four and Samantha, two, for their continued support during his road to recovery.

He said: "Next year I'm getting discharged from the Royal Marines.

"I'm starting to move forward, thanks to my family. I'm doing rugby coaching to help youngsters at Dudley Hill.

"Because of my brain injury, some days are better than others.

"It was really humbling to take part in the Invictus Games.

"Taking part was quite upsetting at times. Everyone who competed was shocked by the support we had.

"It was hard to understand that there was that massive support from the public out there. Everyone who took part has been through a hell of a lot in their careers and lives.

"Gareth Allen from Bronte Archers has also been a great help to me.

"Prince Harry was talking to us all at the Invictus Games about what we had been through and he seemed like a genuine man. He was understanding of us as he served in Afghanistan himself."