Singer Malachi Cush fears losing leg after car accident

Singer Malachi Cush said he feared losing a leg after being seriously injured when he was struck by a car fleeing last month.

He and another man were injured in a collision at a hardware store in Dungannon, County Tyrone.

He spent about three weeks in the hospital and underwent an operation on his leg.

In his first interview since the accident, he told Sunday's Sequence of the BBC that it was unlikely to happen before December.

The Tyrone County man became famous in the BBC talent show Face Academy in 2002, and has since released several albums in addition to working as a broadcaster.

& # 39; I could not get up & # 39;

He stated that on June 3, the day of his injury, he went to a hardware store on Scotch Street in Dungannon to have the gardening equipment repaired.

He and the trader placed the equipment in the trunk of his car when they were hit by the vehicle on the run.

"We did not see or hear any sign of anything coming from our side … it was very, very fast and suddenly," he said.

"I thought that there had been some kind of explosion because I could see all the debris on the floor.

"Then I tried to get up and obviously my legs were damaged, so I could not get up and … I seemed to lose consciousness."

He said that he thought he was going to die while his wife and sister were next to him on the street.

He was taken to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast, where he was operated on the injured leg, but feared afterwards.

& # 39; Power of prayer & # 39;

The accident left him with a leg that was "badly damaged" and suffered cuts, lacerations and broken teeth, but was "lucky" to have no internal injuries.

"After the operation, the leg is a little lost," he said.

"He swelled beyond his normal height and raised concerns for a few days.

But the "power of prayer" has had an important effect on his recovery, he says.

"I really think we had a miracle because the situation was pretty dark on the street," he added.

"I could have lost my leg; I could have had injuries to the spine."

He said that he was full of gratitude and determined to recover.

& # 39; Return to what I like & # 39;

At the beginning of his recovery, he can not drive or travel by plane.

This means that he will miss jobs, some of which are based in London and the United States.

"Life has changed for me," he said.

His recovery could be a "project of more than 12 months", but it aims to present a show in December.

"The goal for me is to go back to a place where I can come back on stage and do what I love, sing."

You can hear the full interview of Malachi Cush on Sunday Sequence on BBC Radio Ulster at 8:30 am BST on Sunday.