COURAGEOUS crash victim Callum Parkinson defied the doctors who told his parents he would not survive.

And the brave 13-year-old is continuing to amaze medics with his recovery from the road accident that left him fighting for life.

Christine and Andrew Parkinson were told to expect the worst after their son was flown by air ambulance to Leeds General Infirmary on June 9.

He had suffered a serious brain injury when he was knocked down just yards from his home on Station Road in Fenay Bridge.

But, after two brain operations and four weeks on a ventilator in intensive care, the youngster was finally able to breathe unaided.

He was moved onto the neuroscience rehabilitation ward and has continued his remarkable recovery by learning to feed himself again, regain some of his speech and take the first few tentative steps as he tries to walk again.

Speaking to the Examiner at LGI yesterday, Callum whispered: “I can do it!”

Andrew said: “I am starting to feel lucky rather than unlucky now, because he is still with us.

“It’s amazing what he has done so far, because a lot of kids would have just given up and laid in bed not wanting to do anything.

“There’s still a long way to go, but I’m optimistic – realistic but optimistic.”

Christine said: “It’s all down to his character. That’s just the sort of lad he is.”

Callum, who attended King James’ School in Almondbury, was involved in the accidental collision as he returned from training with Newsome Panthers Rugby Club.

Anthony Sipka, a paramedic who lives on Station Road, carried out crucial first aid as Callum started fitting as he lay in the road.

He called the Yorkshire Air Ambulance because he knew how serious Callum’s injuries were.

Christine, who was at home at the time, said: “Anthony did an amazing job. I don’t know what would have happened if he hadn’t been there.”

Callum was rushed into theatre as soon as he got to LGI, where surgeons removed half his skull to ease the swelling on his brain.

Christine said: “They told us he had global brain damage and were saying he wasn’t going to survive.

“There was one night when they called Andrew to say he had to come down because it was looking like Callum wouldn’t make it through the night.

“But I’ve got a friend whose brother went through the same thing and she was saying that they always give you the worst case scenario and we shouldn’t give up. That gave me a lot of strength.”

As well as the operations on his brain, Callum was given a tracheostomy, a procedure to open his airways, after his lung collapsed.

He had to have a tube inserted into his stomach so that he could be fed.

Today he will have titanium plates put in his head.

But yesterday the rugby-mad teenager was guest-of-honour at the civic reception held for Huddersfield Giants’ returning Challenge Cup Final side.

He met every one of the players and had photos taken with several of the stars and with coach Nathan Brown.

He had watched the game on TV at the weekend.

But he admitted his favourite player remained his 18-year-old brother Joe, who is in the Giants’ Academy side.

Christine said: “He has been impressing everyone with how far he has come. He has done far better than everyone thought he would. He’s a fighter.”

The Yorkshire Air Ambulance rescue operation is due to be featured on BBC One’s Helicopter Heroes programme later this year.