A PARALYMPIC medallist turned prosthetic limb designer who aims to create the “coolest” styles has secured a major supply deal.

LIMB-art owner Mark Williams was inspired to make multicoloured, themed and even illuminated covers for below-the-knee protheses to “break down barriers and cut out awkward stares”.

The 46-year-old lost his left leg aged 10 in a traffic accident while cycling home from school in Rhyl. But rather than making him more world-weary, his injury turned him “from a shy boy who couldn’t swim into a super-confident athlete” that would go on to represent Team GB in the pool at the World Para Athletics Championships and Paralympic Games.

Now retired from swimming, he has settled in Bylchau where he works to improve the functionality of prostheses and help wearers who feel they have to “hide away or be self-conscious”.

“This is an incredibly exciting time for the business,” he said. “Although prostheses have come on in leaps and bounds functionally, until now how they look has generally been overlooked.”

The covers, which cost upwards of £199, give wearers a full leg shape and restore balance to their silhouette, and come in a range of materials, colours and themes such as skulls and Welsh flags.

“We want to be known worldwide for making the coolest prosthetic leg covers so people who wear them feel they can stand out and stand proud,” Mr Williams added.

And he is one step closer to achieving his goal after LIMB-art became the first NHS supplier of decorative covers in September. Trusts in Lancashire and Kent now offer the products to patients.

“Becoming an accredited supplier to the NHS is hugely important and we’re delighted that we’ve already supplied a dozen people in the past few weeks,” said Mr Williams.

LIMB-art was also awarded manufacturer of the year at the Wales Start-Up Awards in September.

There are more than 500 new amputees each month in the UK and a total of 30 million globally.

To keep pace with the rapid growth of his company, this year Mr Williams opened new offices and a distribution facility with the aim to sell in the United States by 2020.

For more information on LIMB-art, visitwww.limb-art.com