A FORMER soldier who turned to his love of art after he was nearly paralysed in an accident is now looking to fulfil an Olympic challenge.

Mark Jackson, 37, served in the Army’s elite Parachute Regiment before turning his hand to sculpture.

Now the Wroughton-based sculptor has now been selected as one of 10 artists to re-tell the story of the London 2012 Olympics through the BT Art of Sport initiative.

This is not the first time Mark has been asked to recreate an Olympics memory. Earlier this year, he was commissioned to create a life-size bronze statue of the father of the Paralympics, Sir Ludwig Guttmann.

The BT Art of Sport programme is a key element of BT’s sponsorship activities for the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad.

The artwork will be created in association with the Team GB Paralympic and Olympic athletes. Mark will be able to work close to top athletes, and draw on them as inspiration.

He said: “The determination of the Olympic athletes is truly inspiring and I am looking forward to working with them.

“I spent a fantastic nine years in the Army and then I took the decision to leave and become an artist. The parachuting accident was very much a catalyst for taking it up early.

“After that I weighed up the pros and cons and thought it was time to leave and pursue my second love.”

The BT Art of Sport initiative will re-tell the 2012 story, capturing the dedication and commitment of the Olympic and Paralympic athletes, and conveying the drama and passion of these sporting events.

The project will provide a legacy to the Games and the sale of works will support a range of sporting charities, including Paralympics GB.

The temporary physical challenges his injury imposed fostered in Mark a deep respect for Paralympic athletes’ resilience and strength.

He said: “My injuries in the long run were not bad at all. At the time, though, I was quite broken and took a while to get back on my feet again.

“There is no better example of how people with spinal injuries get on with life than the Paralympics, it’s absolutely incredible.”