An Afghan war veteran who lost part of his leg after stepping on a landmine in Helmand province slammed a critic who accused him of wrongly using a disabled parking bay.
Gregg Brighouse, 27, from Dyserth near Prestatyn, north Wales, parked his van in a disabled spot outside his local Tesco supermarket.
A pensioner who saw the van, which is branded with details of Mr Brighouse’s company, took photographs and uploaded them on the firm’s website.
However, Mr Brighouse was angered by the intervention and suggested: ‘I would have happily stuck my prosthetic leg in your face.’
Gregg Brighouse, pictured, stepped on a landmine in Afghanistan in 2012 losing part of his leg
Mr Brighouse joined the army in September 2011 and went on a six-month tour of duty arriving at Camp Bastion, before being posted to a checkpoint in Northern Afghanistan. Pictured: Mr Brighouse in the Army
A Facebook user used Mr Brighouse’s company account to criticise him for parking his van in a disabled parking sport in the popular supermarket in Prestatyn, north Wales
Mr Brighouse lost part of his right leg while on patrol in Afghanistan in 2012.
The war veteran signed off his response ‘Gregg one leg (Afghanistan war veteran).’
The pensioner wrote: ‘I would like to report two young lads that drive your van…who constantly park in the disabled bays in the car park of Tesco, Prestatyn.
‘I have taken photos of them on the two occasions I had my camera with me.
‘I will be sending them to Tesco’s head office and also copies to the police, the car park enforcement officers and the council.
‘I am disabled myself and on several occasions had to walk some distance because of their arrogant, ignorant parking, today and in the past.’
Mr Brighouse responded to the criticism on his company’s Facebook page. He wrote: ‘Thanks for your arrogant, ignorant comment.
‘I am in fact, also disabled with less legs than yourself, which entitles me to park in any disabled bay I choose.
‘If you had taken the time to simply ask me on both occasions, I would have happily stuck my prosthetic leg in your face.
‘Just so you’re aware for the future, not all disabilities are visual just like you looked pretty healthy and I might question your disability.
Mr Brighouse strongly defended himself on Facebook and said the situation had upset him
‘Thanks for advertising my van though.
‘Kind regards, Gregg one leg (Afghanistan war veteran).’
Mr Brighouse said he has been berated several times by people who assume he is not disabled, even though he has a disabled badge.
He said: ‘It is one of those things that you get used to.
‘It has happened probably 20 or 30 times in the past with people leaving notes on my car or giving me abuse in person.’
Mr Brighouse said that because he was young and people could not necessarily see his disability, they assumed he must not be disabled.
‘Most of the time I will be in shorts and people can see it but because I am young and getting in a work van people think I am not disabled,’ he added.
Mr Brighouse has joked about his disability in the past, and has even bought number plates reflecting his attitude
‘The most recent case is the one that has upset me the most because he has tried to slate my company before even asking me the question.’
Mr Brighouse joined the army in September 2011 and went on a six-month tour of duty arriving at Camp Bastion, before being posted to a checkpoint in Northern Afghanistan.
When out on patrol, he stepped on an IED and lost part of his leg. He had to carry out his own first aid to save his own life, before other soldiers moved in to help him.
One of the other soldiers stepped on a second IED, but it only half exploded, and he was shielded from the blast.
After losing part of his leg aged 22, Mr Brighouse had to undergo around 12 months of recovery, where he learned to walk and run again.
He set up his new business in April last year.
The person who left the Facebook post has been approached for comment.