WHAT was supposed to be an evening of celebration turned sour for a Lowestoft teenager when he was taken to hospital with serious leg injuries.Just weeks away from potentially serving his country in Afghanistan, 18-year-old Jamie Hart, of 3 Royal Anglian Regiment was in hospital this week recovering from a collision with a car that shattered his ankle and left him needing plates to be fitted.

WHAT was supposed to be an evening of celebration turned sour for a Lowestoft teenager when he was taken to hospital with serious leg injuries.

Just weeks away from potentially serving his country in Afghanistan, 18-year-old Jamie Hart, of 3 Royal Anglian Regiment was in hospital this week recovering from a collision with a car that shattered his ankle and left him needing plates to be fitted.

The teenager's dreams of deployment were in tatters as he was told by doctors that he faces up to a year of rehabilitation on his leg that could seriously hamper his career.

Pte Hart, from Lowestoft, was due to meet up with friends in the town on Friday - but he never made it to the scheduled celebratory evening after he was involved in a collision with a silver Vauxhall Vectra on the crossing at St Peter's Street at about 6.50pm. He was taken to James Paget University Hospital, in Gorleston, with a fractured ankle.

On Wednesday, the plaster cast was removed from his leg for the first time and at the time of going to press it was hoped that Pte Hart - whose father is also an ex-Royal Anglian - would return home either yesterday or today.

Recalling the events friend and fellow serving soldier Chris Gibbons, also from Lowestoft, said: 'A couple of guys have already been deployed to Afghanistan and they were back, so we were all meeting up for a celebratory drink. He was meeting me halfway, but then the collision happened.'

Later this month, the pair were due to go to the infantry training centre at Catterick Barracks, in Yorkshire, for two-weeks of training ahead of deployment.

'We've been doing intensive training with the regiment since November and a lot of us have gone through some hard times - but come through the other side smiling,' he said.

'Obviously we're both very proud to be a Royal Anglian, but now I have to go to Catterick without him and I am just gutted. The accident snapped his leg and has threatened his career now - he's absolutely devastated by it, as are his family, friends and colleagues.'

Police are seeking witnesses to the collision. Contact police on 01986 835300.