A FORMER army captain from Cowling has scooped six medals in a gruelling ten-day sports competition in America.

Rob Cromey-Hawke captained a 40-strong British Armed Forces team, supported by Help for Heroes, competing in the Warrior Games in Virginia.

He won four gold medals and one silver in swimming and a gold in cycling.

The ex-Royal Engineers captain was among about 200 service personnel, who have suffered life-changing injuries or illness, taking part in the event.

Mr Cromey-Hawke was injured during his second tour of Afghanistan in 2012 when the vehicle in which he was travelling drove over an Improvised Explosive Device.

He suffered a brain injury leading to a permanent loss of hearing, balance problems and dizziness, and damaged his back.

The keen triathlete was provided with a high-performance recumbent trike and racing wheelchair thanks to funding from Help for Heroes.

Last year he competed in the hugely successful Invictus Games and won two cycling gold medals.

Speaking this week just after his return from the Warrior Games, he told us: "It was an amazing experience and I'm delighted with how it went.

"I was honoured to have been asked to be the British Armed Forces team captain.

"In addition to competing in my own events, I was able to support teammates at theirs and had the incredible reward of helping others not as advanced in their recovery as myself."