A young and hopeful teenager who was riding pillion on his friend’s motorbike suffered a brain injury when it crashed in 2007 and is now taking his case to the High Court.

Daniel McCracken was 16 at the time of the accident which happened in Wigton, Carlisle. Fellow bike enthusiast, Damien Smith was driving the Kawasaki when it collided into a bus.

Daniel experienced brain damage during the crash and it was thought that the promising law student would never speak again. He has limited movement down his right side but has managed to regain the ability to speak.

Following the incident it was discovered that Mr Smith did not hold a valid motorbike licence and the vehicle was uninsured. Mr MrCracken is now seeking compensation from the Motorbike Insurance Burea, the person driving the bus and Damien Smith.

Daniel claims that he did not know the motorbike was uninsured. A spokesman for the MIB said that the bike in question was a track bike and should not have been on the road. He inferred that Daniel, as keen track biker, should have known that a scooter licence would not be enough to legitimately ride this bike. He also said that helmets should have been worn and were not.

The case is yet to reach a conclusion.