Betrayed: Sapper Clive Smith forced to mortgage home to pay for artificial limbs

The former soldier, from Cannock, has battled 12 months to get the surgery on the NHS and says he cannot afford to wait any longer.

Sapper Smith, who was the face of the 2012 Poppy Appeal, lost his legs after attempting to defuse a bomb which exploded during an operating in 2010.

"I need to move on with my life. If I wait for treatment on the NHS, I could be waiting a very long time. I cannot put my life on hold any longer," he said.

Sapper Smith, who now lives in Pelsall with his partner Jen Price, will fly to Australia next month for what he calls 'life-changing' surgery.

The new limbs will take the form of titanium rods bonded to his bone, and offer the promise of 'natural' walking.

He was fitted with artificial legs on his return to the UK but these have caused painful chafing and blistering, leaving him confined to a wheelchair because he is unable to wear them.

He said he feels let down not only by the health service but by defence chiefs who promised veterans better care when their military duties were over.

It comes after Sapper Smith hit out at rules which see thousands of injured former servicemen and women having to give up compensation cash to pay for their own social care.

Now he says: "I feel I gave everything I could for my country for very little in return. It's not what I expected. We're not being looked after.

"It shouldn't have been down to me to fund this surgery - the Ministry of Defence should be footing the bill. I shouldn't have had to put my home at risk but it's falling on the individual to pay.

"The problem is the surgery can't be done here at home because the NHS won't invest in the process. They say that there isn't enough evidence backing it up.

"But I know four serving soldiers in the same situation as me who have self-funded. They've gone out and had this surgery, and it works. They're massively positive about it.

"My old legs are useless, they were doing more harm than benefit. I've been stuck in a wheelchair and hardly been out for a year now. I want to be out there again walking, I want to move forward with my life. I want to be a husband and father and start living again."

The 30-year-old Wolves fan has been with Jen, 29, a marketing manager for the power company Aggreko, for two years. The pair, who knew each other as students at Cannock Chase High School, met up again on social media and love blossomed.

She will take a six-week break from her job to accompany him to Sydney for the osseointegration surgery which will be carried out by an Iraqi doctor who fled Saddam Hussein's regime.

Dr Munjed Al Muderis, 42, has said he wants to help as 'these young British soldiers were sent to help Iraq and Afghanistan'.

Sapper Smith was treated at Birmingham's Queen Elizabeth Hospital 36 hours after the blast that took away his legs above the knee in 2010.

Despite the loss of his limbs, he has won strong support after competing in the men's hand bike time trial, IHB2 class, at the Invictus Games at the Olympic Park in London last year.

He was named Championship fan of the month in September last year. The year before he delivered the matchball for the Wolves v Stevenage game last season and the Brighton home game the year before.

Now he is flying 10,000 miles to the other side of the world for a second chance at a normal life. Help For Heroes is funding the couple's flights.

He said: "I'm feeling good about it. I just want it done as quickly as possible."

The NHS said it was 'disappointed' to hear of Mr Smith's experience. A spokesman added: 'Providing excellent care for war veterans is a priority.'