WATCHING Paul Bellard sprinting up and down some steps, it’s hard to believe that this is the same man who was told by doctors he would never walk properly again.

The 46-year-old former police officer suffered permanent damage to his spine after being involved in a car accident whilst on duty around 13 years ago.

Even stepping off a kerb used to cause him pain and yet now he’s not only a personal trainer, but also a salsa dancer and qualified pilot, too!

“I’d like to say it was a high speed car chase but in fact I was parked in my patrol car when the accident happened.

“I literally couldn’t walk for four months and I used to have to commando crawl to the toilet.”

For a man who had just achieved a lifelong ambition to work in CID it was a devastating blow and Paul became over-weight and was later diagnosed with clinical depression.

While he was off sick, his marriage fell apart and when he returned to work he was demoted to shredding police documents in a windowless office.

Paul eventually had a breakdown and had to retire from the force. It was around this time he made a life-changing decision.

“I realised I had a choice. I could either sit around feeling sorry for myself and being a victim or I could take action and do something about it.

“I started setting myself goals. My first one was to go to the gym and get fit.

“I went from 18-and-a-half stone and a size 38 inch waist to 13-and-a-half with a 32 inch waist with a few months.”

Paul is a great believer that fitness is not just good for the body but also the mind, which was the inspiration for his fitness business Flying High.

At the start of the summer he launched his Get Dorset Moving project, which earned him a nomination in the regional Pride of Britain awards.

He was so shocked by the figures of people dying early due to lack of exercise that he decided to give up his time for free twice a week and hosts group walks in local Parks.

“I discovered that the number of people who die every year from coronary heart disease is the same as the combined population of Christchurch and Poole.

The free classes were only supposed to finish at the end of the summer but classmates offered to pay a small fee to the British Heart Foundation.

His vision is to set up similar schemes in other counties.

One of his clients Cathie Baker, 31, from Parkstone, a paramedic, dropped from 14 stone to 10 stone. She said: “The way Paul is helping me through this journey of lifestyle changes is amazing.

I feel calmer at work and find it easier to deal with the more stressful aspect of my job as a paramedic.”

  • Paul is hosting a seminar at The Captain’s Club in Christchurch tonight at 7pm and has a number of free places available to Echo readers (usual price £65).

For more information email coach@paulbellard.com