AFTER less than a year in business, Britain's only amputee driving instructor has won an award as the entrepreneur of the year.

Despite losing his right arm in a motorcycle accident 30 years ago, Gareth Almond is able to expertly drive and teach in both manual and automatic cars without any special modifications.

If that weren't enough, the former policeman is also the country's most successful disabled motor sport competitor, winning 250 events over 25 years - many at national level and always against able-bodied rivals.

Mr Almond received the honour in the 2BR Local Hero Awards on March 20 after setting up the highly successful Bulldog Spirit Driving School last summer.

Working from his home on Meadow Way, Barnoldswick, Mr Almond specialises in teaching disabled pupils who he says can learn from his example.

He said: "I want to prove to other disabled drivers what's possible if you put your mind to it, hence the name of the business."

But the 51-year-old never sits still - he is now aiming to become the most qualified disabled instructor in the country and has passed numerous advanced and supplementary driving tests with flying colours. He also plans to adapt his Land Rover Discovery to teach disabled drivers to tow, which would be another national first.

How can a driver with just one arm drive a manual car without the help of any adaptations?

Mr Almond explained: "To pass your test, the DVLA literature states that you must have control of the steering wheel at all times. But it doesn't state which limb needs to be controlling it, so as long as I momentarily use my legs to grip the wheel as I change gear with my left arm, it's fine!"

Mr Almond lost his arm in 1973 after he was hit by a drink-driver.

He said: "It was the end of the world for me. I was in my early 20s with my whole life ahead of me, and suddenly it's all been smashed to pieces and I'm lying in a hospital bed wondering if I'll ever be able to come to terms with it.

"But you get to a point where you have got to say to yourself: 'Am I just going to lie down and take this or am I going to get up and do something about it?' - that was the turning point."

Mr Almond is fanatical about motorsport and currently competes in extreme rallying, which involves hurtling across all types of unforgiving terrain in his stripped-out and turbocharged Land Rover.

However, Mr Almond, who moved to Barnoldswick 16 years ago with his wife Karrie, passionately believes in the benefits he can bring to disabled people.

He said: "I had a few disabled people ringing me to say that they'd applied to be driving instructors but had been turned down. I told them to apply again and quote me as an example, because if I can do it anyone can.

"When someone turns up for their first lesson, I can see them relax when they see me. If you've never physically had a certain problem I'm sorry but you can't really empathise with someone who has."

Combining his two great passions in one package, Mr Almond is also involved with a project which aims to get people with disabilities into motorsport.