A TAXI driver is lucky to be alive after his legs were shattered in a 70mph crash with a drunken millionaire playboy.

Father-of-two Ray Jones, 55, faces a battle to walk again after his legs, ribs and pelvis were smashed when wealthy city trader Andrew Singh ploughed into his cab in a head-on collision in central London.

Singh, whose uncle Tom Singh is the multi-millionaire founder of the New Look fashion chain, died in the crash, and at his inquest this week was found to be two-and-a-half times over the legal drink -drive limit.

Mr Jones, of Essex Road in South Woodford, said: "I can't remember a lot from the accident, but my passenger remembers seeing this guy's Mercedes veering from one side of the road to the other, clipping a load of parked cars before it hit us.

"The force of the crash was so intense that it pushed my legs right back and crushed my pelvis.

"I nearly died at the wheel, and in hospital, and my wife and children were put through hell."

Mr Jones, known as Aussie Ray' in the cab trade because of his Australian roots, said it was his wife Debbie, and his son and daughter, who gave him the strength to survive his terrible ordeal.

He said: "I spent six weeks in hospital and had to have an artificial support inserted into my Aorta, which had been badly damaged.

"I lost three quarters of my blood, and my wife and kids kept being told that I was on my way out, only for me to pull through. They went through an awful lot and gave me great support.

"I hobble around on crutches at the moment, but I'm hoping to bear more weight on my legs soon, and to eventually get back behind the wheel of a cab."

The inquest heard how Singh, 25, had already been banned for drink-driving and had been drinking heavily before he crashed his sports car into Mr Jones' cab in Chelsea in the early hours of Wednesday, October 3.

Giving evidence at Westminster coroners court, crash investigator, PC James Mosley, said: "The damage and post collision movement of the cars was more consistent with a motorway crash than one normally seen in central London with a 30mph limit."

In the back of his cab Mr Jones's passenger suffered a broken hip, wrist, arm and knee, and lost four front teeth.

In a narrative verdict, Coroner Dr Paul Knapman said: "Mr Singh has died from multiple injuries after being involved in a collision with a passing taxi.

"This was a tragic road death caused by Mr Singh travelling at massively excess speed whilst intoxicated."

Mr Jones now plans to take legal action to gain compensation for his injuries.

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