AN electrician who lost his leg in a horrific accident involving a helicopter has launched a legal battle for compensation.

Sebastian Ward, 21, was installing wiring on a new hangar at Goodwood aerodrome in Chichester when a helicopter crashed and he was hit by flying debris from 200 feet away.

The shards struck his right leg below the knee and he was taken to hospital where surgeons were forced to amputate it.

Now Mr Ward, of Boundary Cottage, Station Road, Billingshurst, Sussex, is demanding damages of more than £300,000 from helicopter pilot Michael Pascal and his company MCP (Poole), based in Bournemouth, after the accident on May 28 2009.

The Robinson R44 Clipper helicopter owned by MCP (Poole) crashed when trying to land on a concrete apron in front of the hangar.

Its main rotor blade hit the ground and disintegrated.

A piece of debris weighing more than a kilogram was flung through the air, cutting its way through fencing and hitting Mr Ward, then 18.

The victim will need prosthetics for the rest of his life and is registered disabled.

In a High Court writ Mr Ward says Mr Pascal was negligent by crashing the helicopter during landing, losing control of the machine and allowing the rotor blade to smash and strike him.

He also accuses the company of negligence.

The writ says the firm was liable for Mr Pascal’s actions and allowed him to fly when he was not experienced enough.

A spokeswoman for Goodwood Aerordrome said it did not wish to issue a comment on the incident.

Neither Mr Pascal nor MCP (Poole) were available for comment.