A SOUTHAMPTON man is suing the Ministry of Defence over a parachute accident which wrecked his Army career.

Roger Hyldon, 26, was a lieutenant in the elite Parachute Regiment when he suffered a broken back and leg in a training jump accident in June 2003, Winchester County Court heard.

Mr Hyldon claims he was forced to leave the Army as a captain in 2005, ending a career that he had planned to follow until he was 55 years old.

He told the court: "The Paras are an elite unit. It is something I remain incredibly proud to have served in and I was devastated to have that dream taken away from me."

Mr Hyldon was in a team of parachutists in their first attempt at simultaneous parachuting. Jumping from around 800 feet at half-second intervals from alternate sides of the aircraft, another soldier got entangled in Mr Hyldon's rigging.

He was unable to steer clear, hitting the ground at speed. The other soldier also suffered serious injuries.

Mr Hyldon, of Regents Park, told the court he was keen to pursue a military career from a young age. He said his father, a serving senior officer in the Royal Navy, had enjoyed a high salary and the good fortune to be able to retire early.

He said he fought hard to regain full fitness and for the first 12 months had received every encouragement that he could to make a full recovery.

In late 2004 Army doctors became pessimistic about his prognosis. A tour of Northern Ireland with his battalion led to a deterioration in his back as he was forced to, with little recovery time, carry 40lb packs while out on patrol.

Peter Harrison, representing Mr Hyldon, said he had a "burning desire" to forge an Army career. Reports showed him to be a talented soldier who would have achieved promotions.

The MoD has accepted liability but is disputing the amount of damages. He is claiming damages of between £250,000 and £300,000.

It says Mr Hyldon acted prematurely in leaving the Army and could have stayed and transferred from the Paras.

The ministry also says that if Mr Hyldon had stayed he would probably have left after a short service commission lasting only eight years.

Since leaving the Paras, Mr Hyldon has worked as a trainee manager for Aldi supermarkets and for a security company working in Iraq.

He had to leave Aldi because the training required shelf stacking which he found too painful.

Yesterday expert witnesses disagreed over the seriousness of the injuries and their long-term impact.

Prof John Shearer, a spinal consultant, said continued service in the Army would have caused chronic long-term problems.

He said Mr Hyldon was at risk of spinal degeneration.

However, David Marks, a spinal expert, for the MoD, said: "This was not a serious spinal injury."

He said Mr Hyldon could still parachute: "His injury does not render him at greater risk of further injury. Nor does it make further injury more dangerous."

Proceeding.