Mansfield teen who suffered life-altering injuries in car crash is slowly on the road to recovery

Bradley Tunstall, aged 18, of Alcock Avenue, was the passenger in car involved in huge smash in Skegness in March 2022.

Bradley suffered multiple, potentially life-threatening injuries, including a smashed pelvis, two bleeds on the brain, broken ribs, a collapsed lung, and a bleed in the eye.

He was airlifted to hospital in Hull and placed into an induced coma for about eight days in intensive care, before they started to bring him around.

It was a hugely traumatic time for Bradley’s family; dad Rick, mum Kerry and eight-year old sister Pyper.

Rick said: “It was a nightmare, an absolute nightmare .

“Even when he came out of the coma, he was on the major trauma ward for about eight weeks.

“But amazingly now, he’s coming on loads better although he’s still got loads of recovery still to go in terms of physiotherapy.

“He’s got to have his eye frozen in a couple of weeks because the retina is starting to detach from the wall of the eye.

“He had some laser surgery which left a bit of scarring around it but now they just want to freeze it to double check everything is safe.

“He’s still got a long way to go and his injuries are definitely life-altering – in the next two years he’s probably got to look at having a hip replacement because of the damage he suffered to his pelvis which was smashed in about five or six places.”

The injuries to his pelvis in particular mean Bradley, a former student at Brunt’s Academy, is now registered disabled.

But he has made enough progress in his recovery that he has been able to return to work as an apprentice electrician at DWJ Electrical in Sutton.

Rick said: “He’s been able to resume light duties and that’s enabled him to pretty much go back to work full-time.”

The driver was due in court in Lincoln this week charged with dangerous driving and causing serious injury by dangerous driving.