A FORMER army sergeant who grew up in Trowbridge was able to rub shoulders with Prince Harry and Michelle Obama last month after pedalling to glory by winning two medals at the Invictus Games.

Andrew Perrin, who served for 12 years with the Royal Signals and Ten Signal Regiment, competed in the games after a knee injury forced him to retire from the army a few years ago.

Since then, he has signed up to the Troop to Teacher programme for ex-military to get them into teaching.

The 37-year-old said: “I got a knee injury and that is what made doctors discover I had Crohn's which is why I had to leave.

“It was quite sad as the leave came about quickly and sometimes you become institutionalised in the army and it is a big wide world when you leave which takes some adjusting.”

Mr Perrin signed up for the army in 1999 after studying for his A Levels while living in Avonvale Road and he went on to be based at Bulford before moving to London where he now lives with his wife and daughter.

He became involved with the Invictus Games while getting support from Salisbury-based Help for Heroes on his leave.

The student teacher added: “When you leave the military you sometimes feel there is nothing for you but it was through Band of Brothers that I found out about the first Invictus Games in London.

“Cycling is how I tried to build up my knees in rehab as I had so many operations on it and the doctors said I wouldn't be able to walk properly ever again but I have managed to build up the strength again.

“I met Prince Harry for the first time in the 2012 games and then again in Orlando this year.

“I think he had found his niche in life in terms of how he is as a royal and he's amazing because he gets in with everyone and becomes one of the lads.

“The one focus of this year's games was to bring to forefront of people's minds about the invisible wombs of being in the military like post-traumatic stress disorder."

Mr Perrin, who won a silver and gold medal, will gain his teaching qualification in the summer.